


a million little rays of sunshine

by itsnotaboutlove



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Birth, Children, Dating, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Marriage, Pregnancy, holidays and birthdays, one shots, time jumps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:08:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 103
Words: 232,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11314983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotaboutlove/pseuds/itsnotaboutlove
Summary: A look into the life of Sonny and Isabella Carisi.A series of one-shots, set in various moments of time.





	1. busted by baby.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I know I said by the end of this week. But I'm procrastinating on the project I need to do for work. 
> 
> Anyways, here's the first chapter. 
> 
> Warning: It's smutty!

"So, we have maybe a half hour," Isabella panted, as Sonny set her on top of the bathroom counter. "Carina's shouldn't wake up until one of us gets her." 

Sonny nodded as his hands roamed along her torso, before slipping under the shirt. "She better sleep," he said, as his fingers dipped into the waistband of her panties. "I've waited all day for this. Two nights with a toddler in our bed and I'm goin' crazy, Iz!" 

Isabella let out a breathless laugh, as he tugged her underwear down her legs. "You and me both," she said, as he pulled his sweatpants and boxers down to mid-thigh. "C'mon, stop stalling, Sonny!" 

After working long shifts for two weeks straight, Sonny finally had a day off, which had been rare for him. Between catching up on laundry and keeping their one-year old out of trouble, the exhausted parents were relieved when nap time finally arrived. One full bottle and two lullabies later, Carina Rose was tucked in her crib, giving her parents some much needed time alone. 

"You alright?" Sonny asked, once they started. "I can move ya to the bed if ya want." 

"Don't you dare stop," Isabella groaned, wrapping her legs tighter around his hips. "If I wanted to have sex in bed, I wouldn't have brought you in here." 

Sonny nodded, pulling her in for a kiss; heated and sloppy, as he thrusted aimlessly into her. Pulling her hips further down on the counter, Isabella let out a loud groan at the sudden increase of pleasure. "Oh, Sonny," she gasped, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. 

Lost in the heat of the moment, neither Sonny or Isabella noticed the guest behind them, standing quietly in the doorway of their bedroom. It wasn't until Isabella was about to orgasm, that she took notice. 

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny," she cried, her hips bucking up to match his thrusts. "Sonn-CARINA!" 

Startled, Sonny's eyes flew open, just as Isabella came; clenching hard around him, as she tucked her face into his neck, whimpering and suppressing her cries. Unable to control himself and stop, Sonny followed close behind, clutching her waist with his hands. After a few seconds, Isabella lifted up her head and met the gaze of her curious toddler. 

"W-what," Sonny panted in her ear. "What the fuck.." 

"I-I don't know," Isabella shook her head, as Carina stood quietly in the doorway. "Maybe she climbed out of her crib.." 

He groaned in despair, dropping his forehead against her shoulder. "My baby just watched me in the throes of passion. She will be scarred forever, Iz." 

Carefully, they both separated, making sure to cover themselves in the process. Isabella hopped down from the counter, making her way over to Carina. " _Topolina_ ," she cooed, picking the toddler up. "What are you doing out of bed?" 

"Mama," Carina babbled, laying her head against her shoulder. 

"I'll go put her down in our bed," Isabella said, as she looked over at Sonny. "Are you okay?" 

With his pants pulled back up, Sonny waved his hand at her. "Just... just give me a minute," he said, still panting. 

Nodding, Isabella carried Carina out of the bedroom and over to their bed, setting her down in the middle by their pillows. Quickly, Isabella went to the dresser to find a pair of clean panties, while Carina pulled at the blankets. 

"You gave us a scare, Rina," Isabella said, as she quickly pulled the garment on. "How in the world did you get out of that crib? Daddy made sure you were tucked in there, all nice and snug." 

"Mamaaaaa!" 

Climbing onto the bed, Isabella reached out to check for any symptoms of illness; fever, rashes or a soiled diaper. But when Carina showed no signs of anything, except for being an overly tired and cranky baby, Isabella laid back against her pillows and sighed. 

Sonny stepped out of the bathroom a few seconds later, looking a bit more refreshed than before. 

"Carina Rose," he started, hoping up onto the bed. " _Mia Patatina,_ why are you awake right now?" 

"Dada!" Carina squealed, beaming at him; the four little white caps and a mouthful of drool exposed. "Dada!" 

Isabella snorted, as Carina crawled over to him. "I guess she's not the only girl, who wanted your attention today," she teased, as Sonny picked her up. 

"Yeah, but climbing out of her crib?" he asked, shaking his head. "She's lucky she didn't break her neck, Iz! Or worse!" 

Reaching up, Carina laid her little hand against his mouth, her eyes moving a mile a minute to study his face. Suddenly, she beamed up at him again, before tucking her face against the neck of his shirt. 

"I can't be mad at her," Isabella shrugged, as Carina cuddled with her father. "She's missed you a lot these last two weeks, between work and everything else." 

"Hopefully things will go back to normal soon," Sonny promised, as she stroked the back of Carina's head. "Between this case and trainin' the newbies..." 

She nodded, "Sonny, I know," she said gently. "I don't expect you to stop working, because we have a child now. There are going to be times, when you won't be home all the time. We knew that way before Carina was even in our lives..." 

Sonny sighed, nodding in agreement. It had been a rocky start when they found out about Carina, given the fact that they had been married for almost two months. At first, they were both shocked and scared; coming off from a wedding and a honeymoon, money had been tight.  It wasn't until the first official doctors appointment, in which the pregnancy test came back positive again, that they realized how quickly their lives would change. 

While they went back and forth between utter joy, to sheer panic, the couple argued; about how they would be able to afford a baby, between paying off student loans and other bills, to childcare. But when they both learned that their little bundle of joy, would in fact be a little princess, most of their worries went out the window. 

"I just don't want her climbin' out of that crib," Sonny sighed, moving to lay down; Carina resting against his chest. "If she wants us, I rather her cry for us, as horrible as that sounds. 

"You just don't want her walking in on us again," Isabella teased, delighted when Sonny blushed. 

He nodded, "Well...yeah," he nodded. "My poor girl is scarred now. She just watched her Father, bangin' her Mom on the bathroom counter." 

Isabella snorted, "She's only a year old, Sonny," she reminded him. "I highly doubt she'll remember this, years from now. Besides, I don't think she's the first child, to ever walk in on her parents." 

"God help me," Sonny groaned, as Carina sucked on her thumb. 

"Just wait until she upgrades to a big girl bed," Isabella said, rolling over to face them. "She'll be in and out of it, until we can finally get her to stay in it." 

Looking down, Sonny watched as Carina fell back asleep, before turning to look at his wife. "At the rate she's goin', we'll have to give her over to our parents," he snorted. "Add this to the list of reasons why, since neither of us can go to the bathroom or sneak junk food, without her busting in on us." 

She yawned, "The joys of parenthood," she mused. "At least we're on this journey together. You, me and our cock-blockin' toddler." 

"At least we finished this time..." Sonny chuckled, which made Carina stir. "Shh, I'm sorry baby. Go back to sleep. Shhh..." 

"We might as well nap with her," Isabella pointed out, pulling the blankets up to her shoulder. "When the baby naps, you nap." 

He snickered, "No wonder ya want to put Carina down for naps," he teased, covering himself and Carina with the blanket. "Though, this is pretty nice. Spendin' time together, just the three of us." 

 

 


	2. finding my groove again.

"Aren't you hot in that thing?" Sonny asked, as he and Isabella walked down the sidewalk in Manhattan. "It's like.. eighty degrees out here!" 

Isabella pulled at the sleeves of her cardigan, "No, I'm alright," she said, as they neared her apartment building. "I tend to run cold.." 

It was mid-July and Isabella was  _dying_ with the heat; wearing long sleeves and jeans on nearly every day, Sonny would always question if she were hot or not. 

" _I can hold ya sweater if you want,"_ he would offer. " _Do you want to stay inside tonight? I mean, if you're cold, you can wrap yaself in a blanket, instead of walkin' out there in that heat."_

He didn't know the truth behind it; why she covered every square inch of herself with fabric, disgusted with the idea of being looked at like a piece of meat. But Sonny? Sonny was different, something she noticed that day they first met. His eyes were kind, as was his smile, as he blabbered to her about the books in her hand. 

" _My niece loves those books,"_ he exclaimed, nodding to the picture books in her arms. " _She makes he read "If You Give a Pig a Pancake," every single time I babysit her.."_

"Okay," Sonny said, after a few minutes. "I can't keep doin' this.." 

"Doing what?" Isabella asked, alarmed at the sudden pause in their stroll. "What? What did I do?" 

He shook his head, "It's nothin' ya did, sweetheart," he promised, taking her hands into his. "But I'm afraid you're gonna drop from heatstroke if we keep goin'. You're  _sweatin',_ Iz." 

Isabella brushed her hand underneath the back of her hair, wincing at how soaked it was. "Let's grab somethin' to eat and head back to your place," he said. "We could eat and watch a movie. Or talk about books." 

"Well..." she hesitated. 

"Or," Sonny quickly interjected. "We can just sit in silence. The night is young and we can do whatever  _you_ want. "

She nodded slowly, "Hey," Sonny said gently, lifting her chin up with his hand. "I'm not lookin' for anythin' more than what you're comfortable with, Iz. I just want to spend time with you, because I haven't been able to see you in a few days." 

That alone, made her smile, which in return made him smile. "Okay, we can go back to my place," she said. "Do you want pizza?" 

Grabbing a pie and a bag of zeppole's to go, they took the trip back to Isabella's apartment, which was an icebox. "Go change," Sonny said, as he placed the food on the table. "If you sit in those clothes, you'll get a chill. Which will then turn into a cold."   
  
So while Sonny set the table, Isabella quickly changed into another set of clothes; a long sleeve shirt and a pair of flannel bottoms, covering every inch of her body. 

"I found water and apple juice," Sonny said, when she came out of the bedroom. "Wasn't sure what you'd want with your pizza..." 

"Water is fine," she shrugged. "I don't really keep alcohol here...since it's just me."

He nodded, "It's fine," he said, as he brought two glasses of water to the table. "We don't need to drink beer, everytime we have pizza..." 

They set in a comfortable silence, eating their pizza; the AC in the living room hummed and creaked, as it blasted the tiny apartment with cold air. When they were done and the dishes were in the sink, Sonny led her over to the couch and pulled her down next to him. 

"What do you want to do now?" he asked, as they sat there. "It's Thursday night, which means Grey's is on.." 

"D..do you want to just.. talk?" Isabella asked, wringing her hands together. "I mean.. about something?" 

Sonny nodded, "Iz, I'd talk to you about anythin'," he said, smiling at her. "I love listening to you talk, you know? I could sit here and listen all day, because you're so fascinatin' to me..." 

She blushed, "I'm serious!" he insisted, chuckling. "I've never met anyone like you, ya know? Someone who has so much in common with me, who's gorgeous and actually wants to date me.." 

"Why wouldn't anyone want to date you?" Isabella asked, frowning a bit. "You're _perfect_ , Sonny." 

"Ah, I'm nothin'," Sonny waved his hand at her. 

Isabella looked down at her lap, "Well, I think you are," she said softly. "Sometimes... sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you. That you could do so much better than me..." 

It was his turn to frown, "What do you mean?" he asked. "Why do you feel like you don't deserve me?" 

This was it, the moment of truth; the mother of all bombshells, as the closet of skeletons was about to open. Rubbing her sweaty palms on her thighs, Isabella swallowed thickly. "Um.. I need to tell you something, Sonny.." 

"Okay," he nodded slowly, bracing himself for the "It's not you, it's me," talk that he was sure would come next. 

Instead, Isabella dropped the bombshell. "I.. I was raped ten years ago at a party..." she started, avoiding his stare. "I.. I know that might change things for us or for you, so if you don't want to date someone with issues like me.. I'd understand.." 

There was silence, which made Isabella's head spin and her heart race, as she held her breath. Turning, Isabella looked up at him finally, surprised to see nothing but... admiration. Love." 

"It doesn't change how I feel about you," Sonny finally said, taking her hand into his. "Iz, you know what I do for a livin' right?" 

"Yeah..." 

Sonny nodded, "I look at you and I see nothin' but strength," he said. "Does this answer some of the questions I've had in my mind? Yeah. It explains why you're so jumpy at some things..." 

Isabella nodded, "Is that why you wear all the clothes?" Sonny asked, as she pulled at the fraying hemline of her shirt. "The long sleeves in the summer? And why you were so jumpy when I held your hand the first time? Or when I asked you if I could kiss you on our fourth date?" 

"I'm afraid people will know, just by looking at me," Isabella admitted, looking ashamed. "I'm damaged, Sonny. There's nothing beautiful about me, being violated the way I was. You're the first person I've been with since.. before it happened." 

"That's not true," Sonny shook his head. "I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." 

She snorted in disbelief, "I'm serious!" Sonny insisted. "Everythin' about you... inside and out." 

Isabella shook her head, "You haven't seen all of me," she pointed out. "Hell, you haven't slept with me yet, so how can you find me beautiful?" 

"Isabella, seein' you naked or havin' sex with you, doesn't validate your beauty," Sonny said, shaking his head. "I don't have to see you naked or bed you, just to find you beautiful. The way you talk about your job and everythin' you love, is enough to make me see how beautiful you are. When I first saw you, in that bookstore, the first thing I noticed was the way you smiled to yourself, reading the back of book." 

"You did?" 

He nodded, "Right then and there, I thought, "God.. I need to say somthin' to this girl," and I did," he shrugged. "Best thing I ever did, because here we are..." 

"So.. this doesn't change things?" Isabella asked, after a few minutes of silence between them. "You still want to date with me, knowing that it won't be easy?"  

"Isabella," Sonny started, bringing her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss alongside her knuckles. "Call me crazy, but... I'm fallin' in love with you." 

It was her turn to blush, as her eyes filled with tears. "Oh," she gasped, nodding her head slowly. "I think. I think that's the nicest thing a boy has ever said to me.." 

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Sonny pulled her against his side, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We do this on your terms, Iz," he said, as she sniffled. "You set the pace and I'll follow, because I want you to be comfortable. I don't care about sex, because there are other ways I can show you how much I love you." 

"One day..." Isabella nodded. 

"And when that day comes, we'll face it together," Sonny promised. "I'm glad you told me though, Iz. It makes me understand you more, because for a while, I thought maybe you didn't really like me. Or that.. you know..." 

She looked up at him, noticing the blush on his cheeks, "or what?" she asked, frowning. 

"I figured maybe you were a virgin," he shrugged, ashamed at the thought now. "Which, wouldn't be a big deal because there's nothin' wrong with bein' a virgin.." 

"Oh," Isabella whispered. "I.. I was.. when..." 

Sonny nodded, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "If you want to talk about somethin' else, we can," he offered, seeing that she was getting upset again. "I don't want to see you cry, Iz. If you're not ready to go into all the details, we can talk about it when you are. I'm very patient and I wouldn't rush you into doin' something, that you're not ready to do..." 

Isabella nodded, "Thank you," she sniffled, as his hand ran up and down her back. "Can.. Co-could we try laying here?" she asked. 

"If you want to," Sonny nodded. "Whatever you want to do, Iz. You tell me what you're comfortable with and we'll work from there." 

Rearranging themselves on her couch, they both laid across the cushions facing each other; his arms around her, while their legs entertained with each other. Nose to nose, they both laid together quietly, relaxing after a long day. 

"Can I kiss you?" Sonny asked quietly, as Isabella ran her hands long the front of his shirt.

"Yeah," Isabella nodded, looking into those blue eyes, which look back at her with nothing but love. "I'd really like that, Sonny." 

.............

The rest of that first summer together, Isabella grew a confident as the days and weeks went by. Once the truth was out and off her chest, Isabella felt a change within herself, as her self-confidence saw a boost. All because of Sonny. Sonny, who called her  _beautiful_ and  _gorgeous,_ commenting on the pretty dress she wore out to dinner one night, or took notice that her arms were bare for the first time in four months. 

It was on a really hot day in August, when she opened her front door, dressed in a tank top and shorts. " _My AC broke and they can't come until Monday,"_ she said, when he followed her into the apartment.  _"I almost passed out this morning, so I put this on.."_

Seeing all of her, save for the shorts and tank top, Sonny admired every curve; she was stunning, despite the pale skin that was covered in a coat of sweat. All those years, covered up from the sun, hiding from the world. Yet, she was comfortable enough, to walk around her tiny apartment- around him, to let her porcelain skin breathe for once. 

Now, as summer bled into fall, Sonny was spending more nights over at her place. It was a big step for Isabella, letting Sonny spend the night at her place, when she first suggested it back in August. After asking over and over again, if she was absolutely sure, Sonny spent the first night and many nights after, watching her fall asleep in his arms. 

"Babe, what are you doin' in there?" Sonny asked, as he sat on her bed. "I thought you wanted to watch this movie?" 

There was silence from the bathroom, where Isabella took refuge only thirty minutes earlier. "Did ya fall in?" Sonny asked, muting the television. Another sixty seconds went by, when he finally grew worried. "Isabella?" 

The bathroom door swung open and Isabella stepped out, completely naked. Sonny's eyes went wide, taking in all of her, for the first time. When he finally reached her face, he saw the look of determination, laced with nervousness. 

"What are you doin', Isabella?" he asked, as she made her way over to him slowly. 

"I.." Isabella started, pausing to find the right words. "I'm ready. For sex." 

He nodded slowly, "A..are you sure?" he asked, as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "Because if you're really not ready, than we can wait. There's not harm in waitin'." 

But she shook her head, "I want to," she said, sincerely. "I love you and I want us to go to that next level, Sonny." 

They started out with kissing, as Sonny sat on the edge of her bed, with Isabella standing between his legs. "I don't..." Sonny said, between kisses. "I don't have condoms or anythin'..." 

"I do," Isabella said, as he kissed her cheek. "I bought them two days after I told you.... back in July." 

He huffed a laugh, "You've been waitin' this long?" he asked, amazed. "You really want to do this?" 

She nodded, "I do," she confirmed. "With you, Sonny. Only you." 

They moved in a tangled mess of limbs, as Isabella helped Sonny out of his clothes; her hands trembling with excitement and nerves, while Sonny's shook with the unknown; the fear of disappointing her or scaring her. Laying out across her bed, Sonny took the offered condom from her and put it on. Isabella laid down and watched him, only to have him pull her up towards him. 

"Easy," Sonny said, when she wobbled. "I want _you_ to show _me_ what you want," he said, as she knelt next to him. "Show me how you want to be touched, Iz. You set the pace and tell me where and when you want me to touch you." 

"How will I know?" Isabella asked, blushing. 

He gave her a reassuring smile, "You'll know," he promised. "Just do what feels good, alright? I can put my hands on your hips or on your waist to start, and when can go from there..." 

Rearranging themselves, Isabella held her breath in the first few moments, as Sonny held her still with his hands on her waist. "Breathe," he reminded her, his thumbs tracing along her trembling belly. "Breathe, Iz." 

Settling into a steady rhythm, once she let herself breathe and let go, Isabella kept her hands upon Sonny's. 

"God, you're so beautiful," Sonny gasped, as she rocked above him. "So beautiful, Iz. I love you. I love you so much." 

Sonny worshiped every inch of her, focusing only on her and her pleasure, before he allowed himself to follow afterwards. When it was over, they both laid in a sweaty heap under the sheets. 

"Does.. does it always feel like that?" Isabella asked, as they panted. 

"When you're with someone you love, yeah," Sonny nodded, running his hand up and down her back. 

She smiled in the dark, "I love you," she whispered, kissing the damp skin of his throat. "And.. thank you. For being the first.." 

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "You're welcome," he replied, as she snuggled against him. "And I love you too, Iz." 

 

..................

Over the years, after marriage and babies, Isabella though less and less about her rape. By the time she and Sonny reached their nine year wedding anniversary, it was something that only came up once a year; usually before or after the anniversary, when she had a moment to settle down and think. Or when her rapist tried to apply for parole; a hearing that only Sonny attended, reading the letter that Isabella wrote to the monster that violated her all those years ago. 

"Carina! Evelina!" Sonny shouted, as the girls ran about in their bedroom. "It's almost eleven! Get your butts in bed!" 

At eight and half and five and a half , the girls were two monsters, driven to driving their parents crazy. "Daddy!" Evelina cried out, as Sonny pushed open the bedroom door. "Why do we have to go to sleep? It's summer!" 

"Because we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house tomorrow," he reminded her. "C'mon girls, Mommy's tired and you're gonna wake up the whole neighborhood at this rate." 

Groaning and mumbling, Evelina made her over to her bed, while Carina climbed into her own. "Can we stay up late tomorrow?" she asked, as Sonny tucked her in. 

"We'll see," he sighed, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Go to sleep, princess. You're just like your Mother, when you don't get enough sleep." 

Turning out the light, Sonny went across the room to tuck Evelina in, before checking in on Siena. At three and a half years old, she was an easy child, listening to everything her parents told her to do. Having gone down at seven-thirty, the little girl was sound asleep, much to his surprise; her older sisters were notorious for making too much noise, which got them in trouble many times, over the years. 

Heading out of Siena's room, Sonny made his way to the bedroom he shared with Isabella, closing the door behind him. Hearing the shower running, Sonny quietly walked over to the bathroom and stepped inside, watching as Isabella showered; the sheer curtain showing off every square inch of her. 

"Sonny!" she scolded, when she caught him watching. 

"Sorry, baby," he chuckled, coming over to the shower. "Are you almost done?" 

She nodded, squeezing the excess water from her hair. "Are the girls asleep?" 

"Siena is," he sighed. "I just broke up the fight club, Carina and Evelina were holding in Carina's room.." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "What about Ellie?" she asked, turning the water off. 

"Fell asleep after her bottle and a lullaby," Sonny reported, taking the towel off the rack. "How she managed to do that, while all that noise was goin' about, is beyond me. 

Eleanora, their six month old, was currently holed up Siena's room across the hall. A not so surprise baby, as her parents started actively trying when Carina turned seven, was an easy going infant. One to sleep through the night and through any storm; or in this case, her two older sisters need to stomping through the house, little Ellie slept through it all. 

"Why couldn't all our girls be like our Ellie?" she asked, as Sonny wrapped the towel around her. "Would've made our lives easier.." 

"You're tellin' me!" Sonny snorted, as she patted herself dry. "I would still have a touch of grey, instead of what I got now.." 

Coming up on their ninth wedding anniversary, and four childbirths later, Sonny had gone completely grey; making him look older than his forty-one years of living. At thirty nine, Isabella was still radiant as the day he'd met her; her red hair started to show signs of grey, though her face still remained youthful; as she sailed through her final year in her thirties, which she dreaded with each passing day. Four pregnancies had left their mark on her, with the little extra weight and faint stretch marks that lined her hips and her belly; still holding onto the extra weight that she retained with Ellie.

But despite it all, she was still gorgeous. The love of his life and the mother of his four beautiful little girls, Isabella Marie Carisi was everything for Sonny. From being the girl, who showed up on their first date in a bulky sweater, to breastfeeding at the kitchen table and reading the newspaper or eating a bowl of cereal; the pride she took in her body, which changed so much over the years, hosting the lives of their girls was inspiring. 

"Ah, but you're so sexy," Isabella purred, running her hands through his hair. "My Staten Island silver fox..."

"You tryin' to charm my pants off?" Sonny teased, as Isabella's hands went up his shirt. " _Isabella..."_

She gave him an innocent smile, "C'mon, baby," she pouted, as his hands gripped her ass. "It's been a while since we had sex.." 

He snorted, "Yeah, three days!" 

"Please?" Isabella pouted, batting her lashes at him. "I shaved!" 

"You did?" he asked, glancing down to the neatly trimmed hair between her legs, whistling. "Well, look at that. You groomed ya pizzelle for me?" 

Isabella nodded, "I figured your cannoli would be happy," she said, brushing her lips agains this. "Better take advantage of it too, Sonny. I spent twenty minutes shaving almost a years worth of hair down there." 

Sonny laughed and nodded, "Let's go," he said, pulling her out of the bathroom and towards their bed. "Before one of them wakes up for somethin'." 

Afterwards, as the house fell into a peaceful silence, they both laid in bed drowsy with sleep. "Hey, Iz?" Sonny called out, as she curled up around her pillow. 

"Hm?" she grunted, opening her eyes. "What?" 

"I love ya."

"Hmm, love you too," Isabella sighed, shifting under the blankets. "Wake me up when Ellie gets up, kay? I didn't pump anymore bottles, so I have nothing to give her." 

Sonny rolled onto his stomach, "Kay," he yawned.

And as silence overcame the house, save for the sleepy snores of four little girls, Isabella Carisi had everything she could and would ever need. All thanks to a boy from a bookstore, who took a chance with her, and made a life with her. 

 


	3. call of sick duty

Sonny yawned widely, as the bottle warmer gurgled to life; a fresh bottle of formula, bubbled away, while two cranky girls sat at the table. Turning around, Sonny groaned at the sight of them; Carina with her runny nose and Evelina coughing up her lungs.

"Of all the days," he mumbled, moving to clean Carina's face up. 

It was only six hours earlier, that Isabella had called him in a panic; their daycare had called for the girls to be picked up, citing fevers and diarrhea for Carina. By then, it had been eight-thirty in the morning, and Sonny was still asleep, for it was his one day off. Grumbling, Sonny took the drive to pick up the girls, before carting them off to the pediatrician's office. Now, after giving both girls their antibiotics and baths, Sonny was ready for a nap. 

"Mommy," Carina whined, as Sonny brought the bottle to the table. "I wants Mommy." 

"Mommy's at work, Carina," he reminded her, as Evelina took the bottle from him. "She'll be home later." 

The three year old whined, as Sonny sat down at the table; the snot bubbling from her nostrils, making Sonny gag. "Why don't I put a  movie on in your room?" he offered, as Evelina drank the five ounces of formula quickly. "I'll tuck ya into ya princess bed, put on a princess movie and you can rest?" 

Carina pouted, "Rina, you're not gonna get any better, if you're runnin' about," he reminded her. "I know you want Mommy. Mommy does everythin' better, when it comes to this stuff. But Mommy's at work. She's gonna stop at the store on the way home to get you ice pops." 

"Pop?" Evelina asked, the nipple of her bottle popping from her mouth. "Dada, pop?" 

"Yes, pops," Sonny nodded, wiping her mouth with her bib. "Mommy's gonna get those ice pops you guys like. And I'll make soup for dinner. Doesn't that sound yummy?" 

Evelina, at eleven months old,  nodded as she went back to drinking her bottle. "Do you have to go potty again?" Sonny asked, looking at Carina. "Ya belly still hurtin?" 

Carina nodded, looking pitiful as she did so. "Alright, let's go to the potty," Sonny said, standing up. "I think we still have some pull-ups left over, that you can wear." 

"Not a baby," Carina pouted, as Sonny took Evelina out of the high chair. "I'm a big girl, Daddy. Says Mommy." 

"You are a big girl," he agreed, as they made their way down the hallway to the bathroom. "But, sometimes, it's alright to wear a pull-up. That way, we don't have to change ya bedsheets again and again..." 

As Carina grumbled, sitting on the toilet, Evelina laid her sleepy head down on Sonny' shoulder. With her fever still running, Sonny winced at how hot she felt to the touch, pressing a soothing kiss to her forehead. "Let's get you into bed," he said gently, as Carina finished going to the bathroom."Carina, wait for me. Just sit there.." 

She gave him a scandalized look, her face flushed due to her fever. "Daddy! Don't leave!" she cried, as he started out of the bathroom. "I fall in and go bye!" 

"You will not go bye bye," Sonny said, grabbing a picture book out of the basket near the wall. "Read this and sit still, alright? I need to put ya sister down, so she can sleep." 

Taking the book, Carina opened it to the first page, reading quietly. Quickly, Sonny made his way out of the bathroom and across the hall to their bedroom, moving towards the crib. As he changed Evelina's diaper and tucked her into her crib, Sonny took a quick minute for himself. Exhausted and cranky himself, Sonny looked down at his watch and saw a message from Isabella. 

" _Out of work early, stopping at store. Be home as soon as possible! XOXO Iz"_

"Please hurry," Sonny said to himself, as he made his way out into the hallway. "Alright Carina, I'm comin' for ya!" 

..................

It took another two hours, before Isabella came through the door; her workbag and purse on one shoulder and several grocery totes in her hands, falling to the floor once she stepped inside.

"I'm so sorry," Isabella said, out of breath from the stairs. "The lines were so long and then I got stuck by a fucking idiot at the checkout." 

Sonny came over to help, taking bags fill with ice pops, pediasure and diapers. "It's alright," he shrugged, as they went into the kitchen. "Lina's asleep and Carina's still up. Had to put her sheets and clothes in the wash, since she pooped right through her pull up." 

Isabella sighed, "Poor baby," she shook her head, as they unloaded the bags. "When did they last have their medicine?" 

"Evelina had a second dose a half hour ago," Sonny said, looking at his watch. "Rina is due for another dose now, but she won't let me give it to her. She wants you." 

"Alright, I'll get her," she nodded, grabbing the bottle out of the refrigerator. "Then, I'll come out and put dinner together..." 

Before he could respond, Isabella was off, tending to the cranky girl. Unloading the rest of the groceries, Sonny put the food away and carried the diapers and wipes to the bathroom. From across the hall, Sonny could hear the television playing another Disney movie in a loop; along with the hum from the humidifier, helping to clear out the two sets of little lungs. 

"I know you don't feel good," he heard Isabella say, as Carina whined. "But you can't give Daddy a hard time, Rina. If he tells you to take your medicine, you have to take it. It's the only way you're going to get better, so you can go back to school and play with your friends.." 

Making his way back into the kitchen, he was soon joined by his wife, who went to take a box of pasta off the counter. "I already made dinner," he said, as she reached for a clean pot from the dish rack. 

Isabella blinked, "You did?" she asked, as he nodded. "Why? I would've made something for us.." 

"I figured Ma's homemade chicken noodle, would be a good choice," he shrugged, nodding to the pot on the stove. "It's a favorite here, when the girls get sick." 

"Baby," Isabella pouted, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry." 

He frowned, rubbing her back, "Why are you sorry?" he asked. "I don't mind cookin' dinner, Iz. I've done it plenty of times, regardless of what's goin' on for the day..." 

She nodded, "Yeah, but you had to take care of two sick kids," she shrugged. "On your day off. Trekking up to the school to get them, then to the doctors. Cleaning shitty bed sheets and dealing with the overall crankiness that comes with it." 

"But that's part of parenting," Sonny shrugged. "I mean, we both knew that when Carina was born. They're gonna get sick, no matter how hard ya try to keep them healthy." 

"Well, Maman is coming out tomorrow to watch them," Isabella said, nodding. "I have a meeting tomorrow morning and I don't want you to skip work, just to be stuck home with them all day.." 

"I would've been fine with it..." Sonny shrugged, as Isabella took two bowls down from the shelf. 

Isabella gave him a knowing look, "Baby, I saw the bottle of lysol in the bathroom," she said. "You're itching to bleach the entire place down, as well as yourself." 

Sonny blushed, "How many vitamins did you take, after I called you this morning?" she asked. 

"Like... one," Sonny shrugged, squirming under the knowing frown Isabella gave him. "Okay, so I took all my my vitamins today. Then, I took a shot of DayQuil, just to be safe.." 

"You need to stop being so paranoid, Sonny," Isabella shook her head. "If you get sick, you get sick. That's how you build up an immunity to all these things..." 

He nodded, "Excuse me for takin' extra precautions," Sonny said, as they dished out two bowls of soup. "And why are you goin' to a meetin' tomorrow? It's Saturday..." 

They took a seat at the table, "Because," Isabella said, blowing on the spoonful of soup. "I'm up for a promotion at work."

"You are?" Sonny asked, surprised. "Where? What kind of promotion?" 

"Well, I'll be closer to home if I get it," Isabella started. "And I'll be teaching Social Studies for grades nine through twelve." 

Sonny whistled, "You mean, you're gonna be teachin' kids who talk back?" he asked. "You're brave, Iz. I wouldn't be able to handle that..." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "It's much better than what I'm doing now," she said. "I love my little babies, but I've been doing it for almost fifteen years. I did my concentration in history and I really want to teach it. Plus, being out of Astoria and closer to home, is something we've both talked about. I can be closer to the daycare if I need to get the kids, if they're sick on on the way home from work..." 

"Well, see what they offer," he shrugged. "If this is what you really want to do, then you should do it. Who knows when you're gonna get an opportunity like this again..." 

"It might mean more hours and maybe weekends," she said. 

He reached for her hand, taking it into his. "Babe, we'll work that out when the time comes," he insisted. "If anything, we'll just arrange for a later pick up time at the daycare. And, I don't work on the weekends that much anymore, so I can be home with them." 

She nodded, "I'll see what they offer and we'll talk about it this weekend," she concluded. 

"There you go," Sonny smiled at her. "They'd be crazy not to take you on, anyways. If anyone's good at teachin' a bunch of teenagers history, it's you." 

..............

Isabella came home around eleven the next morning, juggling a large binder and books in her arms, finding the apartment in disarray. 

"I can clean this," was the first thing Sonny said, as he held clean clothes in his hands. "Carina basically exploded after breakfast. Frenchie's got her in the tub now." 

"W-what?!" Isabella cried, as she stood in the middle of her living room. "Where's Lina?" 

Sonny was already down the hallway, disappearing into the bathroom, where a screeching Carina was being consoled by her Grandmother. Setting everything down on the hall table, Isabella quickly made her way down the hall to check on Evelina; the little girl had been out cold in her crib, snoring into the fluffy fur of her stuffed pig. 

"Mommmmyyyy!" 

"Shhh, I know," Noelle cooed, as she rubbed Carina down with a loofah. "It's alright." 

Making her way into the bathroom, Isabella moved to kneel down next to her mother, taking in the sight of her hysterical three year old. When Carina laid eyes on her, her cries became frantic, as she reached out for her. 

"Mommy's here," Isabella soothed, as she caressed her face. "What the hell happened?" 

"We had breakfast, cereal for the both of them," Sonny started, as Noelle rinsed the girl off. "Not even five minutes after we set them in the living room, she was barfin' and poopin' at the same time." 

Noelle grimaced, "Both ends," she confirmed. "I thought she fell, the way she was screaming in there." 

Isabella groaned, "Maybe it's the stomach virus," she sighed, as Carina wailed. "I'll call the doctor and see what we should do. And no more solid food, until she can go without throwing up or shitting herself. Pediasure, Sonny. I bought enough to get us through the weekend and the first half of the week." 

He followed her out to the kitchen, "Why are you snappin' at me?" he asked, as she searched for her phone. "I didn't know she was gonna be spewin' from both ends, Iz. I gave her a bowl of Kix without the milk." 

"I'm not snapping at you," Isabella said, finding her phone in the depths of her purse. "I'm just.. frustrated! I leave for two hours and come back to a mess! Clothes and toys all over the floor, sink full of dishes, and a hysterical child in the bathroom." 

"Yes, because I'm gonna do the dishes, when I'm cleanin' up vomit from the carpet," Sonny said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Jesus, Iz. Don't come home and start with an attitude, alright? I would've gotten to everything else, once Carina was settled in." 

Dialing the number to the pediatrician's office, Isabella started down the hallway towards the bathroom, leaving Sonny in the kitchen. "Hi, yes. This is Isabella Carisi calling, in regards to Carina Carisi..." 

Shaking his head, Sonny pushed away from the counter and went into the living room, moving to pick up the scattered toys and clothes off the floor. 

.........................

By the time they fell into bed, along after another doctor's visit and their nightly routine, the fight from earlier had been forgotten. Cleaning up the apartment and taking care of two cranky babies, they were able to get the girls down for bed by eight. By that point, Noelle had already left for Long Island, promising to come back if they needed her. Evelina took her evening bottle without fuss, falling asleep to a quick rocking session with Sonny; the infant had responded well to her antibiotics, 

Carina, on the other hand, demanded for one bedtime story and two lullabies, before the medicine kicked in. If they could make it through the night, without having to change the sheets or sit up in the bathroom, peace would finally arrive to the Carisi household. Diagnosing her with a mild strain of the stomach virus, on top of the previously diagnosed ear infection and sinus infection, Carina Rose was one miserable little girl. 

"I'm sorry for being a bitch to you earlier," Isabella said, as she lay on her belly; her face smushed against the pillow. "It's just hard, with them both being sick at the same time. And not being here, when I should've been." 

"You've got a lot on your plate," Sonny shrugged. "Between this thing with work and bein' home alone with them most nights..." 

She sighed, "Liv was understandin' when I called out this mornin'," he continued. "Noah's had his fair share of illnesses, worse than what our kids have had..."

"Still," Isabella said. "Doesn't make it right that I complained about the apartment being a mess. You need your job more than I do, Sonny. Liv is understanding, but at some point, someone won't be." 

He wrapped his arm around her waist, "Ah, it's only a day," he said. "I was off yesterday and I took a sick day today. Yeah, I need the job, but I need my kids more. The girls and you come before the job, Iz. It's been like that since it was just us, before we got married and before we had Carina and Evelina. You guys come before a job. There are other jobs out there, you know. Other departments to work in, or I could finally go into law after all these years.." 

Isabella sighed, "What happened at the meetin' today?" Sonny asked, changing the subject. 

"They offered me the job," Isabella said. "Starting next fall..." 

"They did?" Sonny asked, as she nodded in the dark. "Baby, that's great! See! I told ya! They'd be crazy not to hire you! What did you tell them?" 

"Well, they gave til the middle of May to let them know," she said. "I told them about the girls and about you, how I had to make sure it was the right decision. And they said I would have til mid-May to think about it, but they really hope I consider it. That way, I can let my boss know by that point, if I plan on returning for the fall or not. Apparently, they haven't interviewed anyone else for this position..." 

Sonny wrapped his arm around her waist, "I think you should take it," he said. "If they haven't interviewed anyone else, that means they really like you. And we'll worry about the kids and my job in due time." 

Isabella nodded. "I guess we could talk about it more and see what I'll be gaining and losing," she said. "But, I don't want to make a rash decision, without looking at all the facts." 

"So, we'll look at the facts," Sonny promised, kissing her forehead. "Don't dwell on it now, Iz. Just get some sleep and we'll go over everythin' the next couple of months. It's only October, babe. You've got plenty of time to read up on it....." 

The baby monitor on the night stand, crackled, as one of the girls stirred from their beds. Holding their breaths and bracing for the worst, they were relived when silence fell on the other end. "Maybe they'll sleep through the night," Sonny whispered, as Isabella shifted under the blankets. "Tomorrow, I'll do the laundry and make more soup. Maybe keep the girls in their beds for most of the day, that way they can get the rest they need." 

"Carina will not be down for that," Isabella yawned. 

"Yeah, well," Sonny rolled onto his back. "Carina's not the boss of this house, last time I checked. And she's the one that's sick, not us." 

Isabella snorted, "Have fun telling her that," she said. "That girl inherited my Mother's and your sister's attitudes all in one." 

 


	4. Baby You're a Firework..

The grill sizzled, as the air smelled of cooked meat, mixed with a dash of Coppertone sunblock. In the pool, the Carisi's and Palladino's splashed about, while Dominick Sr and Antonio manned the grill. Inside, Angela and Noelle were busy mixing salads and making drinks for the legal age, while Sonny moved from the kitchen to the den. 

"Alright," he announced, coming into the dimmed and chilled den. "I've got a glass of peach tea for Mommy and some veggies with ranch dressin'." 

Isabella smiled up at him, "Thank you," she sighed, as he sat down next to her. "I would've gotten to it eventually.." 

He nodded, "I know," he said, holding the dish on his lap for her to reach over. "But, she's waited the entire car ride for food.." 

"That she did," Isabella agreed, looking at the baby attached to her breast. "I'm starving, Sonny. This breastfeeding thing is insane! No one told me that I would have to eat twice as much, just to keep up.." 

"In a few months, we'll wean her off to formula," Sonny shrugged, as she took a carrot from the plate. "Besides, these last to weeks, you've been eatin' more than when you were pregnant.." 

Carina grunted around the nipple in her mouth, her hand flexing against the swollen breast she drank from. Sighing, Isabella ran her hand gently across Carina's forehead, trailing them down the side of her face. 

"Pop says the food is almost done anyways," he continued, watching them both. "Joey even made  _two_ trays of those double chocolate brownies you two like." 

"He finds it fascinating that I can eat so much," she snorted, laying her head back against the couch. "I eat more than him, apparently. I'm right up there with the football players he said." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "You  _need_ to eat, Iz,"he stressed. "You breastfeed almost every other hour or two, which leaves you exhausted. I don't care how much you eat, as long as you eat."

Finally, after twenty minutes of feeding, Carina opened her mouth and released the swollen nipple she suckled furiously on. Squirming, she began to fuss in her mother's arms. Taking her, Sonny draped the lone burp cloth over his shoulder, while Isabella fixed her nursing bra and shirt. 

"Shh," he cooed, as he patted Carina's back. "It's alright, Rina. You did so good! Now, you can burp and we'll take a nap!" 

"I just hope the fireworks won't give her grief," Isabella sighed, reaching for the plate. "Out here, everyone sets them off..." 

Carina burped loudly, calming down at once, now that her belly was calm. "Frenchie set up the pack and play in your room, which has a noise maker thing.." 

Isabella frowned, as she chewed on a broccoli spear. "A noise maker?" she asked, as Sonny rocked the newborn in his arms. "Since when?" 

"I guess she got it, when we decided to come out here for the Fourth," he shrugged. "We can fall asleep to the peaceful sounds of the ocean!" 

"As long as she sleeps for more than two hours, I will be a happy mommy," Isabella stated, as Noelle came into the the den. "Hi, Maman." 

She smiled at her daughter, leaning against the back of the couch. "How are we doing in here?" she asked, taking the offered carrot from her daughter. "I bought two of these for today, Isabella. Whatever you want and need, we have it in the kitchen.." 

Carina cooed, which made Noelle smile. "Let me take her," she nearly begged. "I will put her in the little bouncer thing." 

"Maman, how much stuff _did_ you buy for Carina?" Isabella asked, as Sonny handed Carina over to her. "You know, we could always bring what we have at home for overnight visits.." 

"Nonsense!" Noelle shook her head, as she smiled at her granddaughter. "Why lug everything, when I can have a set here? This is my first  _petit enfant!_ Let me spoil her, Isabella!" 

Sonny snorted, "It does make travel easier," he agreed, as Noelle rocked Carina gently in her arms. "And if we were to leave Carina for a weekend here, she would be set." 

Isabella sighed, "Which won't be for a while," she reminded him. "I couldn't imagine spending a weekend away from her yet.." 

"Give it a few months," Noelle snorted, as she carried the sleepy girl towards the rocker. "When you and Sonny want a weekend to yourselves, you'll be calling!" 

"And she'll be happy here," Sonny promised, wrapping his arm around Isabella's shoulder. "Whether it's with Frenchie or Ma, Carina's in capable hands. She's got two grandmother's, who raised two amazin' parents, watchin' over her." 

She sighed, "Just eat your veggies," Sonny continued, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "We're gonna eat dinner soon." 

.......................

By four, Isabella was still hungry, having eaten more than everyone combined. "I feel like I look like a human garbage disposal," she mumbled, scooping out another spoonful of potato salad onto her plate. "Why isn't anyone stopping me?" 

"Hey, we're all family here," Theresa said, shrugging her shoulders. "This is the most I've seen you eat since Easter! Sonny here says that you nurse almost every two hours!" 

She nodded, "You need to eat more than ever now, just to keep up," Bella chimed in, as Tori dozed off on her lap. "I was the same way with Tori. Always eatin' like I was starvin'.." 

"Just eat," Sonny said, placing his hand on her back. "I think you look gorgeous no matta what." 

The baby monitor crackled between their plates, as Carina was sound asleep in the bedroom upstairs. Managing to get through dinner without her waking, Isabella was bracing herself for the inevitable wake up of shrill cries and a soiled diaper. 

"Who's watchin' those cats of yours?" Dominick asked. 

"They're in the basement," Antonio said, nodding his head towards the house. "I told the kids to pack them up in the car, when I went to pick 'em up this mornin'. Poor kids shouldn't be alone with all those fireworks goin' off.." 

Noelle rolled her eyes, "We'll let them up later," she sighed, standing up to collect the empty dishes. "I'll start coffee and tea..." 

Standing up, Sonny collected more dishes and followed Noelle into the house, leaving Isabella to finish eating. "So, how do you feel?" Gina asked, leaning back in her chair. "Ya look great, considerin' you pushed out an eight pound baby two weeks ago.." 

"I'm alright," Isabella shrugged, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Still some discomfort and exhaustion, being that we're up at all random hours of the night." 

"Sonny looks quite the caveman," Bella snickered. "I don't remember him ever growing a full beard, ever. And he doesn't even have his hair done!" 

Isabella giggled, "The perks of having paternity leave," she shrugged. "There's just no time to pamper ourselves, you know? Carina takes up every moment, even when she's sleeping.." 

"It's only been two weeks," Dominick pointed out, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I remember those days, when Angie and I brought the girls home from the hospital. And then with Sonny, it was a little easier, since he didn't have colic like the girls did.." 

Theresa rolled her eyes, as she stood up with her dish and cup. "Sonny was an  _easy_ baby," she snorted, moving around the table to the sliding door. "He never fails to remind us too, especially when we all bicker with each other." 

"It'll get easier," Angela insisted, giving her daughter-in-law and reassuring smile. "Right now, she's explorin' her world. It's a big place for someone, who spent nine months in a small space." 

The shrill cries began, startling them all, as Carina woke from her nap. "I'll get her!" Sonny shouted from inside the house, as Isabella went to stand up. 

"And, you've got a great partner in there," Angela added, as Sonny's voice could be heard over the monitor. 

"What's the matta, Rina Beans?" Sonny said gently, as he greeted the cranky newborn. "Are you upset that we're all downstairs, while you're up here alone? Hm? Let's change your diaper and we'll go downstairs and hang out with Mommy and everyone else." 

Isabella smiled to herself, as Sonny continued to talk away to their daughter, as he changed her and got her ready. "Yeah,' she agreed, nodding her head. "I really do." 

...............

"Alright, in you go," Sonny said, as he placed Carina into the travel crib. "Belly full of milk and a fresh diaper... you're all set, kiddo." 

Carina yawned widely, as Sonny put on the noise machine; the sound of soothing waves filling the room, masking out the sounds of fireworks. "Is she asleep?" Isabella whispered from the doorway, as Sonny covered the girl with a blanket. 

"Yeah," he whispered back, as he stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. "She barely made it through that feedin' with you, didn't fuss at all when I changed her poopy butt." 

"She's had a long evening," Isabella sighed, as they headed back downstairs to join their family. "Her first major holiday and she's going to sleep right through it. Hopefully, that is." 

Sonny placed his hands on her shoulders as they walked, lightly massaging them. "Ah, this one's kinda borin' anyways," he admitted. "Just wait until Thanksgiving and Christmas. Or hell, even Halloween! Those are the ones to get excited for!" 

In the kitchen, desserts were being laid out on the counter, while everyone mingled outside for a late night swim and viewing of the fireworks. "Finally," Joey scoffed, as he spotted them. "I was about to hide all of these, since you took  _forever_ up there." 

"Babies don't work on your schedule, just because you wanted to cut up your brownies," Isabella scoffed, as Joey made a face. "And you could've cut them, Joey. You don't need me to be present to do so, since Maman let you use a knife for the first time in your life." 

"Jesus, can't we get through a family gatherin' without fightin'?" Sonny asked, as he picked up a cookie. "Joey, Carina's not just gonna fall asleep because we want her too. It takes a while for a baby to settle down at night." 

Joey nodded, "I know, I'm just bustin' her chops," he smirked, as Isabella rolled her eyes again. "Anyways, Dad and I got a bunch of your favorites this mornin' at Gio's bakery..." 

Isabella stepped forward as Joey pointed out all the Italian and French pastries, as well as the homemade sweets. "Wow, you guys got all of this?" she asked, surprised. 

"Well, yeah," Joey nodded. "Mom says you can finally eat again without like, barfin'. And that if ya don't eat, you'll like pass our or somethin'. So, I had Karla, you know.. the hot chick behind the counter?" 

Sonny rolled his eyes and snorted, shaking his head as Joey grinned. "Basically, she packed up all this stuff and charged us  _half._ I mean, we walked outta there with probably eight bucks worth of pastries for forty!" 

"I must meet this Karla and bless her with my thanks," Isabella teased, pinching her brother's cheek. "Thank you, Joey. That was really sweet of you to get all my favorites.." 

"Yeah, well," the teenager shrugged. "It's not every day that I bake brownies so.... don't expect them all the time." 

Isabella shrugged, "I could just wave Carina in your face and you'd make them," she said. "Carina has a way with getting people to do anything, because she's  _super_ cute." 

Sonny laughed, "Yeah, she does," he nodded, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Two weeks on this Earth and she's already spoiled." 

"She's been spoiled since you broke the news about her on Christmas," Joey snorted. "Ma went and bought out bought so much crap for her, before you went and made that list thing. I came home from college and it was in MY room." 

"Ah, don't sweat it," Sonny said, as he handed a paper plate to Isabella. "Carina's got stuff in her room and in ours, since we didn't open everythin' from the baby shower." 

The screen door opened at that moment, as Bella came in with Tori. "Only a few cookies," Bella warned the girl. 

Isabella poured herself a cup of milk, "Come over this weekend, Joey," she said, taking a small sip. "You and Sonny can put together some baby furniture, while Maman and I go through all the clothes we got." 

"Yeah, yeah!" Sonny nodded, grinning. "Order a couple of pizzas and watch the game! It'll be fun!" 

"Sure, might as well," Joey shrugged. "It's not like I have anythin' better to do..." 

A loud bang went off outside, making Isabella and Sonny pause; bracing themselves for the wails and one upset newborn. Instead, the sound of ocean waves came through on the monitor, as Carina slept through the fireworks. 

Sighing in relief, Sonny nodded towards the kitchen table, where Isabella followed. "It'll die down at some point," Isabella reassured him, as they set their plates down. "It has to. I mean, they run out of fireworks eventually." 

Sonny pulled her down on his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist. "I hope so," he shook his head. "I don't want the poor kid to go deaf." 

...................

By the time they crawled into bed, a little after midnight, the fireworks were still going off. Changing into pajamas, Sonny quickly checked on Carina, before climbing into bed next to Isabella. 

"I'm so tired," Isabella yawned, as she curled up on her side. 

"Go to sleep," Sonny whispered, kissing her forehead. "Tomorrow, we'll have a big breakfast. I know you and Frenchie wanted to head to Target to get some diapers and wipes for Carina." 

She groaned, "A lot of shopping before we head home," she mumbled, pulling the blanket up to her shoulder. "I hope the three bottles I have to pump are enough." 

"We'll be fine," Sonny promised. "If anythin', Carina'll sleep through it and wake up just as your comin' through the door. Then it'll be tit's out for baby." 

Isabella snorted, "My boobs have seen more action in the last two weeks, than the last nine months," she stated. "I can't wait for them to go back to normal." 

"Ahh, it won't be long before I get my hands on them," Sonny teased. "I offered to massage them yesterday, but you went and yelled at me." 

"Well, all I could picture was a cow," Isabella scoffed. "Getting her udders squeezed for milk." 

Sonny snorted, "I wasn't goin' to milk ya, Iz," he yawned. "Only planned on rubbin' ya down gently.."

A big boom filled the night air, as cherry bomb went off, shaking the house. But Carina, swaddled up in her crib, continued to snore. "Mother fuckers," Isabella hissed, as Sonny pulled her closer to his side. "I hate this goddamn holiday." 

"It'll be over soon," he reminded her, running his hand up and down her back. "But, ya got to admit it, Iz. Carina's doin' exceptionally well for her first major holiday, which neither of us expected." 

"Hmm, small miracles," Isabella whispered, laying her head against his chest. "Kay, I'm going to sleep now." 

Burrowing under the blankets, the overly exhausted couple were out cold in mere minutes, as the days worth of socializing got the best of them. They would only get an hour or two of sleep, before Carina woke again to be fed, but it was expected. But right in that moment, with the fireworks going off outside and the artificial sounds of ocean waves inside, none of it mattered. They got through the first family outing, two weeks after Carina's birth, without the dreaded chaos they anticipated. And that, along with being together with family, was all that mattered. 


	5. pesky legos

"MOTHER F- SONNY!" 

Quickly, Sonny made his way down the hallway, skidding to a full stop in the living room. "What's the matta?" he asked, wild eyed and breathless. "Are you alright?" 

Isabella glared at him, "These goddamn legos!" she yelled, kicking the plastic blocks to the side. "I told you not to buy them!" 

Sighing in relief, Sonny made his way over to Isabella, taking her by the hand and leading her towards their couch. "Take it easy," he said, sitting on the coffee table. "Let me see.." 

"Carina and Evelina need to clean up their mess," she continued, as Sonny pulled her foot onto his lap. "I'm tired of stepping on dolls and blocks all day long. What if I slip and fall, Sonny?" 

"Baby, just relax," he said, pressing his fingers into the arch of her foot. "You know what the doctor said about ya blood pressure, right? Just... take a deep breath and calm down." 

She glared at him, "So it's all fine and dandy for you to scream and shout?" she shot back, folding her arms across her chest. "Who was it that threw a fit, when they tripped over the pile of sacrificed dolls, when they came through the front door the other night? Then swore to throw them all out? " 

Sonny rolled his eyes and sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright," he soothed. "CARINA ROSE! EVELINA MARIE!" 

The sound of two sets of feet, came barreling down the hallway and into the living room. "Clean up your mess," Sonny said, looking at the two little girls. "Mommy almost fell from ya blocks." 

"But, Daddy!" Carina whined, stomping her foot. 

"Carina Rose," Sonny warned, as Evelina went to work, picking up stray dolls and books from the carpet. "Now. Or I take away your princess dolls and you go right to bed after your bath." 

Grumbling, the four year old made her way around the living room, picking up all her blocks and chucking them into the bin. Shaking his head, Sonny turned his attention back to Isabella. "Better?" he asked gently, rubbing her sore foot. "You want some ice?" 

She shook her head, "I just want our kids to clean up after themselves," she mumbled. "I mean seriously, Sonny. What if I  _did_ slip?" 

"I know," he nodded, giving her foot a squeeze. "I will make sure the girls clean up after themselves, when they're done playin' with their toys." 

"Thank you," Isabella grumbled, watching as Evelina made her way over to them, reaching for Isabella. "What's wrong, Lina beans?" 

Helping her onto the couch, Sonny watched as Evelina cuddled up next to her mother, laying her head against her shoulder. "Mommy, I sweepy," she yawned, rubbing her eyes with her fists. "We go sweep." 

Sonny looked down at his watch, "I think a nap is a great idea," he agreed. "You should be in bed restin', Iz. You barely got any sleep last night, with all that tossin' and turnin..." 

"Can't help it if I have a bowling ball of a belly, hosting a restless child within," Isabella snorted, running her hand over her belly. "I need this kid out of me, Sonny. I don't think I can do another month of this.." 

At eight months pregnant, Isabella was just about done with being pregnant, now that she was near the end. With Carina and Evelina, the last trimester of her pregnancies weren't so bad; exhausted and swollen, she still had some energy to do daily chores and get a decent nights worth of sleep. But with baby number three, Isabella spent the last eight months in pure exhaustion and barely any sleep. Between the first six months of prolonged morning sickness, to being up at all random hours of the night, the next five weeks were going to be pure torture. 

"Kinda sad that being through this twice before , this ended up bein' the worst pregnancy out of the three," Sonny mused, shaking his head. "Maybe you'll get lucky and she'll come a bit early, unlike these two." 

"Maybe we should start trying all those remedies to kick start labor," Isabella suggested. "Spicy take out and sex. Though, neither worked when Carina and Evelina went past their due dates..." 

He snorted, "How about we set up a plan first?" he suggested, as Carina tossed the last of her toys into the toy bin. "Like getting Frenchie and Ma on call, that way someone is watchin' the girls?" 

She groaned, "I don't care," she whined, tossing her head back. "Help me up so I can go to bed, Sonny. My entire body is hurting and the goddamn lego made my mood even worse." 

"Alright, come on," he sighed, standing up. "Lina, you wanna lay with Mommy?" 

Lina nodded, "I go sweep," she mumbled, shoving her thumb into her mouth. 

Pulling Isabella off the couch, Sonny lead her down the hall; Evelina following close behind them. Tucking them both into bed, Sonny pulled the shades down and closed the door halfway behind them. In the living room, Carina sat on the floor, still upset that she was forced to clean up her mess. 

"You wanna help make dinner?" Sonny asked, scratching his head. 

Carina nodded, "Good," Sonny smiled. "How about some lasagna and meatballs?" 

"Yes!" Carina squealed, scrambling up to her feet. "I wanna roll the meats, Daddy!" 

Scooping her up into his arms, Sonny chuckled and kissed her cheek. "You can roll the meatballs," he nodded, as they headed into the kitchen. "And, you can sprinkle the cheese on the noodles as well." 

Excited, Carina waited as Sonny pulled out the little step ladder for her, setting it against the counter top. "Daddy," Carina started, as she held the block of fresh mozzarella in her hands. 

"Hm?" Sonny turned to look down at her. "What's wrong,  _topolina?"_

"I'm sorry I left my blocks out," she pouted. I didn't mean to hurt Mommy." 

Sonny sighed, setting the tomatoes onto the counter, before squatting down in front of Carina. "I know you didn't," he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Mommy knows that too. She's just a little cranky these days, since your sister is givin' her a hard time." 

Carina nodded, "Can't Mommy poop her out already?" she half asked, half whined. "Zio Joey says I'm the boss. Which means, the baby needs to listen to me!" 

"Zio Joey is a bad influence on you," Sonny rolled his eyes. "And Mommy doesn't... poop babies out, Rina. When your sister is ready to meet us, she will let Mommy and Daddy know." 

  
"Okay..." Carina sighed dramatically. 

Sonny tweaked her nose, "I just need you to clean up after yaself, alright?" he asked. "Good little girls, who do their chores, get rewards. Like... helpin' with the cookin'." 

She followed him over to the counter, stepping up onto the step stool. "Or eating ice cream!" she squealed, setting the cheese down. 

"Eatin' ice cream," Sonny laughed, nodding with her. "You're gonna be the big sister, just like Lina. But I need  _you_ to be on your A-game, Rina. You're gonna help Mommy and I with the baby and makin' sure we have a pretty house for her to come home to." 

"Kay!" Carina nodded, watching as he set the baking dish onto the counter. "I wanna make this for Mommy. Cuz she likes meatballs and cheesy noodles." 

He laughed, "Okay, let's make this for Mommy," he agreed, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. "Afterwards, we'll draw her a picture to make her feel better." 

 


	6. in which we forget to breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> set during the events of episode 18X7 "Next Chapter"

Sonny dropped the set of keys onto the hall table, before closing the door quietly behind him. In the kitchen, he could hear the sounds of the radio playing and the sink running, as Isabella prepared dinner. The little squeals from Carina, babbling in her baby talk, mixed with the laughter from his wife. Pulling off his coat, Sonny hung it up on the coat rack, before making his way past the kitchen table; stopping in the entryway to watch them. 

"Rina, do you think Daddy'll like pancakes for dinner?" Isabella asked, as she worked at the stove. "Mommy hasn't made pancakes for dinner in a long time." 

"Pah!" Carina squealed, waddling near the refrigerator with her stuffed pig. 

She then turned around and shrieked, tossing the pig to the floor, as she barreled towards Sonny. "Dada! Dada!" she squealed, colliding with his legs; a drool filled grin, exposing the eight teeth in her mouth, looked up at him. 

"I didn't hear you come in!" Isabella said, as she lowered the heat on the burner. "I wasn't expecting to see you until later tonight!" 

Making his way over to her, with Carina following close behind, Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her neck. Hugging him back at first, Isabella pressed a kiss against the side of his head. 

"Happy to be home, huh?" she teased, expecting him to let her go after a few minutes. But when he didn't, Isabella frowned and suddenly knew that something was wrong. 

Turning the stovetop off, Isabella set the spatula down on the counter, before turning around to wrap both her arms around him. "What's wrong?" she whispered, as Carina stood at their feet, clutching the leg of Sonny's slacks. "Did you have a bad day?" 

Sonny nodded, "Oh, baby," Isabella sighed, running her hands up and down his back. "I'm sorry. Do you want me to make you a drink?" 

"Dada?" 

The specks of red, on the collar of his light blue button down, caught her eye. The specks of red that weren't on that shirt, when she hung it up in the closet, after picking up their dry cleaning. Too red to be lipstick, along with the pattern they had dried in along the collar. 

"What happened?" Isabella asked, her eyes moving from the shirt to his face. "What.. what's all over your shirt?" 

Sonny lifted his head up to look at her, and that's when Isabella saw it; dried specks of red along his hairline and in his disheveled hair. They weren't there earlier that morning, when she fixed his tie in the kitchen; before he gave both her and Carina a kiss goodbye, before rushing out of the apartment to catch the subway to work. 

"There.. there was an incident at work," Sonny finally said, clearing his throat. "Everyone's alright..." 

Isabella nodded slowly, before glancing down at Carina. "How about," she started, taking a deep breath. "Take a long and hot shower, baby. I'll throw on some bacon to go with these pancakes, so that'll give me an extra fifteen minutes..." 

"You don't have to do th-" Sonny started, before she shook her head. 

"You need to de-stress yourself," Isabella said, smoothing her hand across his face. "Besides, it's freezing outside Sonny. A hot shower, along with some of that aromatherapy body wash, will relax you." 

Sonny nodded, not wanting to argue with her; it was clear that she was already worried, the way her eyes grew shiny with the threat of tears. "Okay," he said gently, giving her waist a squeeze. 

Standing on her toes, Isabella placed a kiss on his lips. "I love you," she said, giving his arms a squeeze. 

"Love you, too," he replied, as she bent down quickly to pick Carina up. 

"Dada!" Carina whined, reaching out for him. "Dada, pway!" 

Kissing her fingers, Sonny gave her belly a few tickles. "I'll be right out," he promised, as Carina pouted. "Help Mommy with dinner, Rina." 

As he made his way down the hall to the master bedroom, Isabella shifted the cranky toddler in her arms. "Let's make Daddy a cup of tea," she said, trying to put on a brave face. "We'll get that ready and make some bacon! How's that sound, Rina? You know how much Daddy loves bacon!" 

"Dada, pway?" Carina asked, as Isabella set the tea pot into the sink to fill up. "Pway?" 

"Daddy will play with you after dinner," she promised, moving to get the package of bacon out. "We can show him the new dollies that Tante Caroline sent from Paris!" 

..................

Dinner and playtime went somewhat smoothly, as Sonny fed and played with Carina. Home early for the first time in weeks, Sonny took the reigns on administering bath time, something Isabella batted through every night with the toddler. Dressing her in a thermal onesie, Sonny sat in the rocking chair and held Carina like a newborn; cradled in his arms, which made the little girl smile. 

Watching from the doorway of the nursery, Isabella stood quietly; her thoughts about what could've happened, running wild in her head. Once Carina fell asleep, Sonny slowly got up from the rocking chair and tucked Carina into her crib, setting the mobile to play. 

"Wanna go to bed or sit out on the couch?" Isabella asked, as he closed the door halfway behind him. 

"Let's go to bed," Sonny nodded, taking her hand into his. 

Their bed had been littered with stuffed animals and toys, since Carina took her afternoon nap in it, while Isabella did laundry. Moving everything to the chair in the corner, Isabella pulled the blankets up to the pillows and sat down, patting the spot next to her. Laying out on his side of the bed, Sonny let out a long and drawn out sigh, before tucking one harm under his head. 

"It was dried blood," he blurted out, a few moments later. When she didn't respond right away, Sonny turned his head to look at her. "On my shirt and face. It was dried blood..." 

"I-I figured," Isabella nodded, as he laid a hand on her lap. "Who's blood?" 

Sonny sighed, "A perp from a case we were workin'," he said. "I.. I was an idiot. I went there, thinkin' everythin' would be fine. Save the vic and make a clean and easy arrest, but instead..." 

Isabella stayed quiet, not wanting to force nor rush him to spill the beans. It was clear enough, that the incident shook him up; enough that he was home early and not his usual joyful self. "Turned around and had a gun pointin' in my face," he continued, pointing right where the gun had been, just a few hours ago. "Begged for my life. And the entire time... I just pictured you and Rina. Of our parents, my sisters and their kids..." 

"Oh, Sonny," she choked out, forgetting how to breathe in that moment. 

"And the worst part, is that the entire time I was outside, Liv kept stressin' to me that I needed to be careful," he shook his head, looking pained. "And there I go, thinkin' I can do anythin' and that nothin' will get me." 

He looked up at her, his eyes wet. "I had no right, doin' what I did," he shook his head. "It's like I forgot in that moment, that I have a wife and a kid waitin' at for me to come home every night." 

Shaking her head, Isabella moved to lay down next to him, leaning over his body to hold him to her chest. "Shhh.." she soothed, as he began to cry. "You're not an idiot, Sonny." 

"Yes I am!" 

"No, you'd be an idiot if you didn't think about the life you were saving," she corrected him. "I'm not happy that someone tried to kill you, because I can't stand when these pigs try to. But, you wouldn't be the Sonny I know, that tries almost anything and everything to save these people." 

She brushed her hand across his face, wiping away his tears. "What happened to the man?" she asked. 

Sonny sighed deeply, his chest shuddering with hiccups. "Liv.. Liv got into the house quietly and up the stairs," he sniffed harshly. "Shot the bastard in the head. That's how i got the blood...." 

"Okay, okay," Isabella nodded, as he grew distraught, reliving the moment in his head. "Here, sit up." 

Getting onto her knees, Isabella helped him up into a sitting position, moving the pillows up against the headboard. "I'm going to call Liv and tell her that you're taking tomorrow off," she said, reaching for her phone on the nightstand. 

"Iz.." 

"No," she shook her head. "Take a day and try to relax, Sonny. Spend the day with me and Carina, watching princess movies and getting your stress levels down." 

He sighed, "Besides," Isabella continued. "I doubt she'll let you back on the field so quickly, Sonny. Look at you right now, honey. You're crying and you're extremely upset..." 

"Maybe this job... maybe it's too much now," Sonny mumbled, wiping at his face. "After everythin'..." 

Isabella took his hand into hers, "If you do feel that way, then we can figure out what you could do," she said. "If you want to utilize your license to practice law, we can talk to Rafael and see if there's an opening somewhere.." 

Sonny nodded, "I'm just thinkin' irrationally," he mumbled. "It's just.. this case was so hard and it's made me question a lot of shit about bein' a detective..." 

"Hey, that's bound to happen," she said, giving his hand a squeeze. "People, in all professions, question if the career's they're in are worth everything." 

He looked down at his lap mournfully, pulling at the drawstring of his pajama bottoms. Isabella reached out and placed her fingers under his chin, slowly lifting his head up to look at her. "Doesn't mean I love you any less, if that's what you're worried about," she said, giving him a small smile. "Whatever you decided to do, I'd support you in a heartbeat. I said yes to "for better or for worse," which also covers a career change..." 

Sonny cracked a small smile, the first in roughly six hours that day, "And," Isabella continued, shrugging. "I'll add one mid-life crisis event in that deal, pending on how extreme it is.." 

"Thank god I have you," Sonny said, as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Couldn't do this alone.." 

"And you won't have to," Isabella reminded him. "And I don't expect you to get over this in a few days, Sonny. So, don't try to hide how you're feeling from me. If you need me, I'm here. Talk to me and if you need to, talk to someone. Talk to Liv, Amanda or Fin. Even your Dad!" 

He nodded, "Maybe play dress up with Carina," she continued. "Besides you, she makes any bad day into a good one." 

Their little toddler, the sunshine in their lives, was one to turn any frown into a smile. Between her little giggles and her smiles, Carina was blessed with the gift to diffuse tension in any room. 

"Yeah, she does," Sonny agreed, nodding slowly. 

"Do you want to do something? To get your mind off it?" Isabella asked. "I think we have a bag of chips, stashed in the kitchen somewhere. We could watch some shitting reality television or something on Netflix." 

He shrugged. "Or, we can try to get some sleep, before Carina wakes up crying for something..." she continued. 

Sonny sighed, "How about we just lay here?" he finally said. "We could put the television on, but I just wanna lay here with you." 

"We can do that," Isabella nodded, setting the phone down on the table. "Let's get comfortable and you try to get some sleep." 

..................

That night, Sonny barely got any sleep, waking up four times throughout the evening. Each time he woke, gasping for breath or crying out in terror, Isabella gathered him in her arms and consoled him. By the fourth time, a little after five in the morning, Sonny quietly left their bed and crept down the hall to Carina's room. Sending a quick text to Liv, asking for the day off, Sonny pocketed the phone and made his way over to the crib. 

Expecting to find a sleeping toddler, Sonny was surprised to find Carina laying in her crib awake. Curled up by her feet, Leia licked at her paw, rubbing it along her head as he groomed. 

"What are ya doin' up?" Sonny whispered, as Carina gave him a sleepy smile. "It's too early for you to be up, sweetheart. 

"Dada," she mumbled, rubbing her eye with a cubby fist. "Dada." 

Pushing the side of the crib down, Sonny picked her up into his arms, pressing kisses all over her face. "Let's get you changed and we'll go lay down in the livin' room," he said, carrying her over to the changing table. 

A clean diaper nestled onto her bottom, Sonny grabbed her blanket and stuffed pig from the crib, before giving Leia a look. "You commin' or stayin'?" he asked the cat, who yawned widely. 

Leia sprawled out along the bars of the opposite side of the crib, closing her eyes. "Guess she's stayin', Rina," Sonny shook his head, making his way out of the room. "That's alright, Harry's with Mommy anyways.." 

"Dada, sweeps," Carina mumbled, as they headed over to the couch. "Sweeps." 

"You can sleep," Sonny promised, laying out across the couch with her. "Daddy can't fall asleep for anythin'." 

Covering her with her blanket, Sonny reached up and pulled the heavy quilt off the back of the couch to cover them both; the early January morning, grey and dreary, could be felt inside the apartment that morning. 

Yawning, Carina rested her head against his chest; her copper curls brushing against his neck, as she shoved her thumb into her mouth. Rubbing circles against her tiny back, Sonny stared up at the ceiling and sighed, feeling the exhaustion and anxiety rushing through him. 

"I love ya, Rina," he whispered, as Carina shifted against him. "I love you so much." 

"Wub yew," Carina babbled back, her drool covered fingers grabbing at his shirt sleeve. "Wub yew, Dada." 

Once the toddler fell back to sleep, her tiny snores the only noise in the room, Sonny felt himself calm down. The feeling of her back rising and falling with each breath, along with the warmth that radiated from her tiny body, Carina was able to calm him down for the first time in hours. It wasn't that Isabella couldn't calm him down, since she had done it many times throughout their relationship.

Maybe it was because she was so unaware that her Father almost died, less than twenty four hours previously; the innocence that made up Carina, who found joy in playing with her parents, with the nuzzles that she received from her "brother and sister," or the little toys she had been spoiled with. Maybe it was the simple fact that all she had to do, just to make anyone's day better, was smile. After the colic was over, by the time she hit two months old, Carina did nothing but smile. Sure, she cried like any baby would, but once she was consoled it was all smiles. 

If he really wanted to, Sonny could sit and rant to Carina about how Tom Cole almost left her without a father, he would be smiled at the entire time. 

 _"She loves your voice, Sonny,"_ Isabella said one day, as Carina squealed and babbled at Sonny. " _Even when she was in the womb, she'd kick like a maniac when you would talk to my belly. That little girl knows her Father's voice for sure."_

Lost in his thoughts, Sonny closed his eyes and relaxed against the couch cushions, falling asleep without another thought. When Isabella woke up, a few hours later, she wasn't surprised to find him out cold on the couch. Nor was she surprised to find him with Carina on his chest, sound asleep as well. Looking up, Isabella saw the heavy flakes of snow falling and shivered. Seeing that both her husband and daughter were asleep, she fixed the quilt that covered them both. Not wanting to wake them, since it was probably the most sleep Sonny would get, Isabella made her way back to bed. Sonny was home and alive, sleeping in the next room with their daughter; something Isabella had to remind herself, as she pulled the blanket over herself. 

For the first time, in twelve hours, Isabella was finally able to breathe again. 

 


	7. first halloween and bad dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sonny and Isabella celebrate Carina's first Halloween. Isabella shares her feelings with Sonny.

Sonny yawned as he stepped into the apartment, dropping the set of keys onto the table. After a rough start to the day, as well as a running back and forth between Barba's office and the city, he clocked out of work early and rushed home. 

"I don't know, Maman," he heard Isabella say from the nursery. "I don't want to stay out too long, since it's going to be dark soon. Maybe a walk up and down the block, before we take a few pictures?" 

Quietly, Sonny made his way down the hall towards the nursery, pausing in the doorway. On the changing table, Carina wiggled and kicked, as Noelle got her into her costume. In the rocking chair, Isabella zipped up her boots, before standing up. 

"Hey!" she squealed, spotting Sonny in the doorway. "You're home!" 

Rushing across the room, Isabella threw her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss against his lips. "I am," he smiled at her, when they pulled apart. "Are you guys almost ready? It's gettin' late!" 

"Just cleaning her up," Noelle said, securing the clean diaper onto Carina's bottom. 

"Finally pooped after two days of constipation," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "Hopefully, she won't have to go again for another hour or two.." 

Sonny winced, "Hopefully she doesn't shit through the costume.." he said, pulling at his tie. "Let me change and we'll go." 

Changing quickly into a pair of jeans and a black thermal, Sonny met his wife, daughter and mother-in-law in the living room. The stroller was propped up against the back of the sofa, while the diaper bag sat on the floor nearby. Grabbing his camera bag, Sonny picked up the stroller and went to the door. 

"Okay, let's go!" Isabella said, as she held Carina in her arms. "Your first Halloween, Carina! Isn't this exciting!" 

"Yeah, she looks thrilled babe," Sonny snickered, as they made their way downstairs. "She's a trash panda and cranky as ever." 

Isabella scowled at him, as she placed Carina into the stroller. "She's not a trash panda, Sonny," she scoffed, shaking the blanket out to cover her. "She's a raccoon. A ridiculously cute raccoon. 

Noelle sighed, "Could've been a princess," she muttered, as Sonny set the pacifier into Carina's mouth. 

"Look, it was either a raccoon or a monkey," Isabella said, looking between her mother and her husband. "There weren't a lot of options in her size, so I went with the raccoon because it was cuter." 

"I'm just bustin' ya chops," Sonny sighed, wrapping his arm around her waist. "She's adorable and I can't wait to show her the pictures at her sweet sixteen." 

In the stroller, Carina looked up at her parents and her grandmother, grinning around her pacifier; her costume clad feet kicking under the blanket. "Alright, let's take a walk," Sonny said, grabbing the handle bar. "A nice walk, up the block and back, before Carina starts freakin' out." 

At four months old, the concept of trick or treating wouldn't be missed, as Sonny and Isabella opt out of knocking on doors. Instead, Isabella bought a huge bag of mixed chocolates for herself and Sonny, a few squeaky toys and a stuffed pig for Carina and a bottle of wine for later that night. Her parents also skipped costumes that year, seeing that Isabella wasn't comfortable dressing up yet. The extra twenty-five pounds that remained, along with her ample chest, made it hard to find a costume. Instead, she wore black leggings and a cream colored, bulky cable knit sweater. 

"How about we take some pictures in the park?" Noelle said, pointing to one of the few parks in the neighboring area. "You can't take pictures on your front stoop!" 

"Alright, but I don't want to go in too far," Isabella said, looking down at Sonny's watch for the time. "It's Halloween and a Friday night, Maman. God only knows what these teenagers are up to tonight." 

Crossing the street, Noelle and Isabella walked arm in arm, while Sonny pushed the stroller; his eyes trained on nearly everyone that walked by them, which ended up being mostly small children in large groups with their parents. Finding a nice spot, Sonny parked the stroller and took Carina out, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

"Ready for your photo shoot, baby girl? he asked, as Isabella set the blanket into the stroller. "I know you're gettin' sleepy, but just a few pictures and we can go home for dinner." 

Sonny took a few of Isabella and Carina on a bench, before Isabella handed Carina over to Noelle. "Smile!" Isabella cooed, as she stood next to Sonny. "Smile Carina! Smile for Daddy!" 

"Don't drop it," Sonny warned, as Noelle set the camera strap around her neck. "Besides my wife and kid, that camera is like a baby to me." 

"I've held plenty of cameras, better than this one if I may add, in my lifetime," Noelle said, rolling her eyes. "Now sit down, hold your daughter and smile for the camera!" 

Once the photo chip was nearly full, Sonny packed up the camera, glancing down at his watch. "How about we head back?" he suggested. "I can put on a pot of noodles for the three of us and a bottle for our raccoon baby." 

Isabella nodded, "Sure," she said, as the air around them grew chilly. 

"I'll carry her," Sonny said, once the camera was tucked in the underbelly of the stroller. "One of you push and I'll keep her warm." 

"Can we hurry it up, please?" Noelle asked, as she took the reigns of the stroller. "I want to be inside before these uncivilized teenagers begin their reckless behavior." 

Sharing a look, Isabella rolled her eyes and started off with Noelle, while Sonny strolled slowly behind them; Carina nestled against his chest, her blanket wrapped around her, as she cooed with each step that Sonny took. 

...............

"Frenchie's got her," Sonny said, as he closed the door to the bedroom. "Claimin' her grandma time, or so she says." 

He heard Isabella laugh over the sound of the running faucet, as Sonny got ready for bed; pulling the shirt over his head, he tossed it into the hamper, along with his jeans. After diner and bathing Carina, Noelle took the infant from her parents after they kissed her goodnight. 

" _Call it an early night,"_ she ordered, as Carina yawned widely. " _You kids go and have fun, while I watch Carina. It'll be a month before I can do this again, since Antonio and I are flying to Paris Sunday night.."_

"Hopefully she'll be good for Maman," Isabella sighed, as she came out of the bedroom. "Otherwise, she'll be cranky for two days. Daddy will be stuck on a plane with her, for eight hours, if she's in a foul mood. He might just shove her out of plane, mid-flight." 

Dressed in a pair of lace panties, Isabella skipped her usual pajama bottoms for a loose fitting tank top; the straps to her nursing bra visible, which signaled that she was wearing one of the more sexier ones, forgoing the heavy duty ones for daily wear. 

Sonny whistled at the sight of her, grinning as she blushed. Crawling across the mattress, Isabella sat on her side of the bed and watched him, as he made his way over. "Are you tired?" Sonny asked, crawling up onto the mattress, making his way towards her. 

"Nope," Isabella shook her head, lying back against the pillows and Sonny leaned over her. "You?" 

"Nope," he mimicked, as Isabella reached up and placed her hands against his chest. "Whatever shall we do, Mrs. Carisi?" 

She snickered, "Maybe go to sleep, Mr. Carisi," she said, as his hands ran up her hips. 

He pouted, "I figured you were lookin' to have a lil' fun," he said, as Isabella lay underneath him. "Ya skipped pants with your nightly attire." 

"That's because it's so hot in here, Sonny," Isabella said. "You and your love affair with the thermostat.." 

"So I'll lower the heat," Sonny offered, moving to get up. "Or open a window, that way you can wear pants." 

Isabella grabbed the front of his shirt, stopping him from leaving. "I just.." she started, the blush rising to her face. "You don't find me unattractive? After eating three bowls of pasta for dinner?" 

He frowned, "Iz..." he shook his head. "Of course I don't find you unattractive! Where's this coming from?"" 

"I-I've been havin' these dreams lately," Isabella started, keeping her eyes on the exposed skin of his neck. "In them.. you.. you were sleeping with someone else, because you didn't find me attractive anymore. So you were fucking someone who was fit and younger and didn't have milk-filled breasts and rolls of fat..." 

Sonny silenced her with a kiss, his hands coming to rest against either side of her face. Moaning in surprise, Isabella pulled at his shirt, her legs going around his waist. Knocking the pillows out from underneath her head, Isabella squealed against Sonny's lips, as her head bounced lightly against the mattress. Pulling away, Sonny looked down at her, his eyes dark with desire. 

"I'll always want ya," Sonny said, breathless. "Always. Baby weight or none, I'll always want you.' 

His hands moved to her hips, trailing under her shirt and up along her belly, before his fingers hit the edging of her bra. "We.. we haven't sex that much since..." Isabella shrugged. 

"Because I don't want you to feel like you have to," Sonny said. "You just gave birth to a baby, Iz. After six weeks, I knew you weren't goin' to be ready. On top of healin', we're both exhausted. So we've had sex a few times in the last four months. I'm not dyin' here, Iz. I didn't marry you just to have sex every night, you know." 

Isabella nodded, "Just havin' you in my arms and fallin' asleep with you is enough," he said softly. "I don't have to have sex with you, just to find you sexy. Everythin' about you is sexy, Iz." 

She snorted in disbelief. "I do!" he insisted, kneeling now between her legs. "I find this sexy," he said, as his hands slid down to her midsection. "Sexy because we both did this. We both created a life, which lived in here for nine months. Every square inch, every stretch mark, every extra pound...god, I love it." 

"Sonny," Isabella gasped, as his hands pulled the straps to her tank top and her bra down. " _Yes."_

That night, Isabella slept peacefully for the first time in weeks.

............

The next morning, Noelle stepped out of her granddaughter's nursery, hearing the hushed laughter from the kitchen. Smelling the coffee and food cooking, Noelle quietly crept towards the kitchen, finding her daughter and son-in-law at the stove. 

"I'm gonna burn these if you keep doin' that," Sonny said, as Isabella wrapped her arms around his waist. "Then you'll pout and make me fell bad for givin' you burnt pancakes." 

Both wearing pajamas, pants included, the couple swayed side to side; the frying pan crackling as the pancakes cooked, while the coffee machine gurgled. "Did I tell you how beautiful you looked this mornin'?" Sonny asked. "As you snored in my ear and drooled on my pillow?" 

"Sonny," Isabella whined, as he laughed;pressing a kiss to her cheeks and her nose. "I don't drool!" 

"Yeah you do," he nodded. "Especially when you're in a deep sleep, which is normal. I don't mind havin' your saliva drippin' into my ear, since it's been everywhere else on my bod-" 

Isabella poked him in the ribs, making him yelp, as the spatula nearly slipped from his fingers. "Isabella!" he coughed, as she shook her head at him. "Easy, would ya! I'm cookin' with one hand here. I don't want to spend my Saturday, sittin' in the ER." 

"What if Maman heard you, Sonny?" Isabella asked, as he flipped the pancakes onto a dish. 

Noelle finally made herself known, as she stepped into the kitchen, startling them both. "I'll just pretend that I never heard it," she said, moving to the cabinet above the sink. "Besides, I'm not an idiot, Isabella. I know you two have sex and plenty of it, since your daughter is still asleep in the other room." 

The couple blushed, pulling apart from each other. "I'll go check on her," Isabella said, as she started for Carina's room. "There's fruit in the fridge, Maman. And teabags in the cabinet with the seasonings." 

Disappearing into the nursery, Sonny and Noelle fell into an awkward silence, as he cooked. Setting the table for three, Noelle went to the fridge to grab the package of strawberries, along with the butter and syrup. 

"Don't be embarrassed," Noelle finally said, setting the items on the kitchen table. "For a young couple with a four month old, I am relieved that you two are still active with your... marital duties..." 

"Hopefully this will fill you up," Isabella said, as she came back into the kitchen. "Mommy needs to switch to bottles soon.." 

Turning around, they both watched as Isabella moved to the table, sitting down slowly. Attached to a engorged breast, Carina suckled furiously, as she had her morning fill of breakfast. Glancing up, Isabella blushed and tried to cover herself with her hair. 

"I'm sorry," she said, squirming under their stare. "Usually I have a blanket to cover me, but Carina went through her diaper and peed all over hers." 

"There's no need to get embarrassed," Noelle said, moving to get the carton of orange juice out. "This is normal, Isabella."

Sonny nodded, smiling at her. "And you look beautiful, doll," he agreed, watching as she fed their daughter. "Right, Frenchie? Isn't my wife gorgeous?" 

His mother-in-law rolled her eyes, despite the smile stretching across her face. "I would know, since I'm the one that gave birth to her," she teased, setting a glass of juice before her. "Drink up, my girl." 

Taking the spatula from Sonny, Noelle finished the last of the pancakes, so that Sonny could greet Carina. Dropping a kiss to her little head, Sonny turned to Isabella and kissed her. "Still sexy," he whispered to her, as Carina wrapped her tiny fingers around one of his. "Always." 

 


	8. schoolyard bullies

It all started when Carina told her Mother that she couldn't see the words on the page, along with the frequently rubbing of her blue eyes. Concerned, Isabella made an appointment with the pediatrician, who would then refer the three and a half year old to a specialist.

 _"Maybe it's nothin' serious,_ " Sonny said, after Isabella called him at work. _"Maybe she'll need glasses..._ " 

After asking Carina's day care teacher, who observed the same issues as Isabella did, the young mother continued to worry and panic. Horrible thoughts of brain tumors or Carina going blind, kept her up a night. Taking the day off from work, Sonny went with them to the specialist; he told Liv that it was important, as she knew already the reason for the visit. 

" _God forbid it's somethin' really serious, ya know_?" Sonny shook his head. _"What if she's really sick?"_  

 _"I'm sure it's nothing, Sonny,"_ Liv said, patting him on the back. _"Most children at her age have some type of issues with their eyes, which they end up growing out of."_

Farsightedness. 

Carina was suffering from farsightedness, which would require glasses to improve her eyesight. No tumors. No risks of going blind. Carina was a healthy three and a half year old, who just needed a pair of glasses. It was a minor case, so surgery was ruled out by the specialist. 

"She must wear the glasses at all times, especially for reading," the doctor said, as she filled out the prescription. "Now, it's nothing to be alarmed about. Most children at Carina's age are farsighted on some level, but Carina's is a minor case. She'll most likely wear the glasses for six months to maybe a year, depending on how quickly she grows out of it." 

Taking Carina into the next room, where cases of glasses were lined up, Sonny held the little girl in his arms. "Look at all of these glasses, Rina," he whistled, as the woman behind the counter showed them the children's section. "So many colors to choose from!" 

Isabella stood back and watched, while texting Angela; opting to keep Evelina home from daycare, Angela took the trip out to Sunnyside to watch her granddaughter, giving Sonny and Isabella the day to spend with Carina. 

"I want these," Carina said, pointing to the black frames. "They're like my Daddy's. He wears them to read me stories." 

"Well," the sales woman smiled, as she pulled the display frames out. "Let's try them on!" 

Once Carina had the glasses on, she turned to look at Sonny. "You look adorable,  _topolina,"_ he grinned, turning to face the mirror. "Ya look better than me!" 

Carina giggled, "Can I have them?" she asked, as she studied her reflection with a curious frown. 

"You can get them," Sonny nodded, turning to call Isabella over. "What do ya think, doll? Isn't she adorable or what?" 

"Ah! My little  _patatina!"_ she gasped, coming over to them. "Look how beautiful!" 

Seeing that Carina was happy with her choice, Isabella signed the forms that were given to her. "We'll get started on these right away," the woman said, as she read over the paperwork. "I'll put in the script for her lenses, which should get here by Wednesday the latest. If you don't get a call to pick up by Friday, I'll make sure to have them ready by Monday!" 

Happy and relieved with the outcome, Sonny and Isabella left the office. "How about some ice cream for my girl?" Sonny asked, as Isabella sent a quick text to Angela. "Hm? What do you say, Mommy? Ice cream for the princess?" 

"Only if I can get some too," Isabella said, looping her arm through his. 

..............

On the first day that Carina wore her glasses to daycare, she was excited. The entire car ride to the school, she bounced in her car seat, while Sonny chuckled. 

"I get to show all my friends!" she exclaimed, as he parked. "Miss Julie wears glasses too, Daddy! She says that we can be twinnies!" 

Unbuckling both her and Evelina out of their carseats, shouldering the diaper bag on one arm, Sonny took Carina by the hand and led her into the building. First, he dropped Evelina off, handing the sleepy girl to her teacher. Then, he walked Carina down the hall towards her classroom, which was already a mess; ten other three year olds were running about, while the two teachers moved with them. 

"Miss Julie!" Carina squealed, as Sonny placed her book bag into her cubby. 

"Ahh! Carina!" the younger woman squealed back, making her way over to them. "Look. how. CUTE!" 

Carina giggled, "I gots ones like my Daddy!" she informed her, as Julie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I has to wear them all the time!" 

Sonny chuckled, "Her eyeglass case is in her bag," he said, as he signed her in. "The doc said she might have some eye pain for the first couple of days or weeks. If they're really hurtin' her, either myself or my wife will come pick her up." 

"Sounds good!" Julie said, smiling at him. "Carina, if your eyes start to hurt, I need you to tell me or Miss. Nicole." 

"Kay!" Carina nodded, turning around to look up at Sonny. "Are you going to work, Daddy? 

He squatted down before her, "I am," he nodded. "But, I'll be home early tonight for dinner. I'll even stop on the way home and get a special surprise, alright?" 

She nodded happily at him, "Good," he said, kissing her cheek. "Be a good girl for your teachers, Rina. Mommy'll be here at three-thirty to get you and Lina." 

"Bye, Daddy! I love you!" Carina waved, as he made his way towards the door. 

"Love you too,  _topolina!"_ he replied, blowing her a kiss. 

All day, Sonny wondered how Carina's day was. There was no doubt in his mind that she was fine, showing off her new accessory to her friends. But all that changed, when he came home later that night, finding his wife upset. 

"What happened?" he asked, setting the box of Italian pastries on the counter. "Did somethin' happen? Is it our parents? The girls?" 

"No, no," she shook her head. "The.. the kids at school..." 

Isabella paused, before sighing deeply. "Some of the kids in Carina's class were picking on her today," she said, shaking her head. "Calling her "four eyes," and trying to knock her glasses off her face. Miss Julie called me at work, but I missed the call, so when I got there she told me what happened. She even stayed late, just to make sure I knew what was going on. they wrote up six kids for bullying, including the little brat that tried to knock her glasses off." 

Sonny groaned, shaking his head. "Where is she?" he asked, hugging Isabella to his chest. 

"In her room," Isabella said. "She doesn't want to wear her glasses anymore, Sonny. She called you and me liars for saying that she was adorable..." 

Heartbroken, Sonny made his way into the room Carina and Evelina shared, finding the little girl in her bed; tear stained and curled up against her pillows. Seeing her like that brought back the memories of Bobby Bianchi and all the schoolyard bullies; the violence and name calling that he endured, all throughout his childhood. 

" _Topolina_ ," he sighed, making his way over to her bed. "Hey..." 

"Daddy!" she cried, throwing her arms around his waist. "Daddy!" 

Consoling her, Sonny promised that no one would ever lay a hand on her again, that she was the most beautiful little girl he'd ever seen. That she would wear her glasses tomorrow and every day after that, with her head held high. That everything would be alright, because she was the kindest and sweetest soul there ever was. 

And Sonny prayed to God that everything would be alright. 

..............

"I'm prayin' today went better," Sonny sighed, a week later. 

"You and me both," Isabella agreed, as she signed the girls out from the main computer. "Do you want to pick up Carina, while I pay? Then we can get Evelina..." 

He nodded, "I'll meet ya in there," he said, almost dreading what he would walk into. Making his way down the hall to Carina's classroom, he was bracing himself for another episode of consoling his daughter. In the last week and a half, Carina came home upset most days. While some of the kids backed off, there were a few that still went at her with name calling. 

When he picked the girls up last Friday, he was informed of one incident, which included a nearly broken pair of glasses and a handprint on Carina's face. 

 _"My wife and I aren't payin' almost five hundred bucks a month, to have our daughter gettin' smacked in the face! Or having her glasses ripped off her and nearly broken in half!"_ he shouted at the director of the school. " _What are you guys doin' to make sure my girl won't be bullied anymore!"_

So when he walked in on Carina, smiling and laughing with a girl he'd never seen before, he felt his spirits rise up. And when she spotted him, her smile grew even more, which made Sonny smile as well. 

"DADDY!!!" she shrieked, jumping out of her tiny chair. 

" _Topolina!"_ he chuckled, as she rushed towards him. "How's my girl today?" 

Carina brushed her hair away from her face, "Daddy! Daddy! I made a new friend!" she exclaimed, bouncing on her toes. "She's right there!" 

The little girl who had been sitting with Carina at the table, was now standing close by, smiling. "Hi!" she beamed, her brown eyes sparkling. "My name's Brennan and I'm three!" 

"Hello, Brennan," Sonny chuckled, as Carina giggled. "I'm Sonny and I am not three." 

"This is my Daddy, Brennan!" Carina said, as she wrapped her arms around Sonny's neck. "He's a police man!" 

Brennan gasped, her eyes wide. "My Daddy's a doctor," she said, nodding furiously. "And my Mommy's a teacher!" 

Squealing over the new found fact, Carina continued to babble to her new friend; how her Mommy was also a teacher and how they both had siblings that were a year old. Signing Carina out and collecting her things, Sonny watched as the girls continued to chat. 

"Hey!" Isabella said, as she stepped into the classroom. "How was her day? Any bullying?" 

"Nah, but she made a new friend," Sonny mused, nodding his head towards the girls. "This is the first time in almost two weeks, that I've seen her with a smile." 

Isabella smiled as well, "Thank god for small miracles," she said, before moving over to the girls. "Carina, sweetie, we have to get going." 

Carina pouted, "Will you be here on Monday? " she asked Brennan, who also looked upset. 

"Mommy and Daddy says I'll be here every day," Brennan nodded. "Cept for the weekends." 

"Me too!" Carina smiled. "I'll bring my dollies for us to play with!" 

Smiling at the sight before them, as the two little girls hugged each other tightly, Isabella made a mental note to meet the parents of her daughter's new friend. Taking her hand, Isabella and Sonny said their goodbye's to Brennan, as they started for the door. 

"Carina!" Brennan called out, as Isabella opened the door. 

The girl turned around and looked back at her new friend, "I like your glasses," Brennan smiled. "You look very pretty!" 

Blushing, Carina smiled back at her, waving goodbye as she stepped out of the room. Picking her up, Sonny chuckled at the dreamy look on her face. 

"Well don't you look happy," he teased, as they headed down to Evelina's classroom. 

"She said I was pretty," Carina mumbled, giggling softly. 

Sonny kissed her nose. "That's because you are," he reminded her. "I told you, Rina. It's going to get better as time goes on. You're still the most beautiful little girl that Mommy and I brought home from the zoo..." 

Carina giggled louder this time, as Sonny tickled her sides. "I didn't come from the zoo!" she said, shaking her head. "Zia Olivia and Zia Amanda says I was borned at doctor place." 

"If you say so," Sonny shrugged, watching as Isabella picked Evelina up from the activity mat. "Zio Fin thought you two came from the moon." 

"Daddy! You're being silly!" Carina shook her head, her little fingers playing with the ends of his hair. "Silly, Daddy!" 

He chuckled, "That's my job," he reminded her, as Isabella stepped into the hallway with Evelina and her diaper bag. "Hey sweetpea! You ready to go home?" 

Evelina squealed as he kissed her cheek, "Dada!" 

"Let's go home," Isabella said, giving him a tired smile. "It's Friday night, which means pizza and ONE princess movie!" 

"Hear that? One princess movie," Sonny sighed, as they made their way out of the building and down to the car. "I'm votin' for Frozen!" 

The girls giggled, as did Isabella, as they were strapped into the car seats. Pulling away from the curb, Sonny smiled as Carina filled them both in about her day; her adventures with Brennan and the project Miss Julie had them help her with. Glancing up in the rearview mirror, Sonny couldn't help but smile, as he saw the happy face of his little girl. It was a start, but Sonny knew things would get better in due time. 


	9. lazy rainy day

Sonny yawned, stretching under the heavy comforter, groaning as his muscles stretched and his joints cracked. A deep rumble of thunder and the sound of rain slamming into the window panes, made him open his eyes; the shades had been pulled down, plunging the room into semi-darkness, as the evening bled into morning. A blueish-grey hue filtered between the blinds and curtains, as a flicker of lightning flashed overhead. 

A deep groan, followed by the shifting lump next to him, sounded; a bare foot, ice cold, pressed against his leg. 

"Sonny..." Isabella mumbled, still asleep. "Hmmmm." 

Rolling onto his side, Sonny wrapped his arm around Isabella's waist, his hand coming to a rest upon her belly. At six months pregnant, the physical changes in his wife were ever so apparent, as her body adapted to the life within. Once Christmas and New Year's came, Isabella's midsection had popped, along with everything else; her breasts had gone up two cup sizes, the extra weight in her hips and swollen joints were just some of the changes that took place. Instead of buying a whole new wardrobe, Isabella wore stretchy pants and loose fitting tops; of course, she needed new bras and underwear that would stretch over her growing belly. When she wasn't working, Sonny's clothes became hers; sweatpants, basketball shorts and t-shirts were part of her weekend wardrobe. 

 _"Look how cute..."_ Sonny teased one morning, when Isabella came out dressed in a pair of too-long flannel pants and a Fordham shirt. " _You look like a little kid, playin' dress up."_

It was safe to say, that Isabella couldn't wait to fit back into her normal clothes, once this was all said and done. 

"Shhhh," Sonny whispered, as Isabella continued to shift against him. 

"Time is it? Isabella mumbled. 

Sonny pressed a kiss to the back of her head, "It's still early, Iz," he said, which made her groan. "Go back to sleep." 

She sighed, "Can't," she muttered, kicking the blankets off. "Have to pee." 

"We should get you some of those adult diapers," Sonny teased, as Isabella pulled herself up and out of bed. "That way, ya don't have to get up every half hour..." 

There had been so many changes, in such a short period of time, that the newly-wedded couple struggled in the weeks and months after learning about the pregnancy. Between coming off a wedding and a honeymoon, to making space and worrying about money and who would watch their baby, the couple bickered on and off. Some of the bickering turned into full blown fights, as they screamed at one another. When they went for their twenty week checkup, they learned that their baby would be a girl. A little princess, who would be both parts of them, would arrive in their lives that June. After that, things somewhat calmed down; they still bickered over the little things, but something had changed in Sonny. 

"What should we do today?" Isabella asked, as she crawled back into bed. 

"How about we stay in today?" he asked, as she rolled over to face him. "You need to rest, Iz. Lay in bed and watch television all day, or read a book. Hell, you can always nap the day away if you really wanted to..." 

Isabella nodded, "Are you working on the nursery again today?" she asked. 

Sonny shrugged, "Maybe," he said, his hand moving back to her mid-section. "Or, I can spend the day in bed with ya." 

"And push back another weekend of home design?" she snorted. "You were already complaining last weekend, when the wrong crib was sent to the apartment..." 

"Well, yeah," Sonny scoffed. "I had the walls painted, the curtains up and no crib to match! I was lookin' forward, all week I may add, to put it together." 

She snickered, "Well, you have tomorrow to put together the  _new_ crib," she pointed out. "Spend the day in bed with me, Sonny. I rarely get to see you, with all the weird hours you've been working lately." 

He didn't have the heart to tell her that "weird hours," were in fact overtime. Staying late to finish reports or working overnight shifts, on top of the twelve hour shifts, that way the had extra money coming in. It would only be another month and a half, before Isabella started her maternity leave. And there was no guarantee that she would be back right away, at the start of the new school year; while she and the baby were healthy now, it was a possibility that it would all change come June. Right now, they were looking at a natural birth and going back to work in September. But, as crazy as life was, there was always the possibility of a change in plans. 

"I know," he sighed, as Isabella cuddled up next to him. "Alright, I'll spend the entire day with ya." 

"Good," Isabella yawned. "We can start right now." 

Pulling the blankets further up to cover her, Isabella burrowed underneath them, pressing up against his side; the curve of her belly pressed against his hip, while she draped one leg over his. Sonny felt the little nudge of the baby, as she woke from her slumber. 

"Uh oh," he smiled, placing his hand right against the tender spot. "She's up." 

"Shhh, give her a few minutes and she'll go right back to sleep," Isabella whispered, laying her hand upon his. "Just keep talking, Sonny. She loves your voice..." 

Sonny laughed, "She can't understand me yet, doll," he pointed out. "She's just startin' to hear sounds from in there..." 

She yawned, "No, she knows your voice," she insisted, as his thumb ran across her skin, just below her belly button. "Ever since she started kicking..." 

"Which was a week ago," Sonny reminded her, which made her groan. "Alright, I'll see what I can do.." 

Untangling her from his, Sonny sank below the blankets and placed both hands against the curve of her belly. "Hey in there," he whispered, pressing his lips against Isabella's skin. "Go back to sleep. IF you go back to sleep, I"ll make ya chocolate chip pancakes. The ones ya Mother loves to stuff her face with, even though the doctor said no more sugar.." 

"Sonnnnyy!" Isabella whined, kicking him lightly. 

"Sleep," he chuckled, as the little kicks began to slow down. "There we go,  _topolina._ Go back to sleep, so that Mommy can get some rest..." 

Within a few minutes, the baby stopped kicking against his hands, which made Mommy one happy lady. "Finally," Isabella sighed, as Sonny came back up from under the blankets. "Told ya." 

Sonny placed a kiss against her lips, "Sleep," he ordered, pull the blanket back up to her chin. "I'll wake you when it's time for breakfast." 

"Kay," Isabella sighed deeply, pressing her head against his chest. "I want extra chocolate in my pancakes now." 

"It's you that's gonna get a lecture next week," Sonny snorted, as Isabella's breathing began to even out. 

Another rumble of thunder in the distance, as the wind picked up, howling through the streets of Sunnyside, Queens. A dreary day, showing no signs of letting up, as the grey skies lingered overhead. But none of that mattered, in the apartment of Sonny and Isabella Carisi. It would be a lazy day, the first in quite a while. And as Sonny fell back asleep, as the rain continued to pour outside, he knew it would be a great day indeed. 


	10. the island of fire part one

The first big family vacation they took, after Evelina was born, was shortly after Carina's third birthday. Taking a week off from work, a much needed one that is, Sonny and Isabella thought long and hard on where they wanted to take their kids. Disney was out, since the prices were too high and all the child-friendly rooms were booked solid until the winter. A foreign country was a big "no" from Sonny, citing potential illnesses and lack of vaccinations for their little girls. 

_"What if they get bird flu, Iz? I'm not takin' my kids to a country, where they can get the friggin bird flu!"_

Carina and Evelina were still too young to appreciate anything historical, which made it hard for them to travel in the country. It wasn't until Noelle brought up the idea of Fire Island, during one of their nightly chats. 

" _Your father and I are thinking about renting a house for a week,"_ Noelle said. " _If you're still looking for vacation ideas, you could always come with us. Daddy and I will find a house that's big enough for all of us. Call Angela and see if she and Dominick want to go..."_

Sonny said "yes" immediately after Isabella brought it up, later that night, as they got ready for bed. Calling his parents the next morning, they took also liked the idea of having a family vacation with them. By mid-afternoon, Bella, Tommy and Vittoria were also on board. Dominick decided to rent a house next door from Noelle and Antonio, so that Bella and her family could stay with them. 

" _Pack us all into one house and it'll be a disaster.."_ Dominick chuckled. " _I'll call Tony and see what they're lookin' at and we'll go from there."_

When everything was finally booked, Isabella packed for a week long stay in the sun; extra diapers, sunblock and various bathing suits for two little girls, were shoved into a suitcase. They bought an array of beach toys to keep Carina occupied, while Sonny and the boys worked on getting the food together. By the time they were due to leave, taking the train out to Long Island, they were ready to sit back and relax on the South Shore. 

By the time they reached the rental house, which was settled in Ocean Beach, Carina was buzzing like a mad-woman, while Evelina was a cranky mess. 

"I'll change her and get her down for a nap," Sonny said, as he did his best to soothe the toddler. 

Taking the travel pack n' play, along with the diaper bag, Sonny made his way upstairs to change Evelina. Carina watched as her Mother and grandparents carried in their bags and the coolers packed with food. 

"Mommy, can we go swim?" she asked, clutching her doll underneath her arm. 

"Soon," Isabella nodded. "Grandpa and Daddy are gonna put the food away, and we have to wait for Nonno and Nonna."

Carina pouted, "Let's go find your bedroom," Isabella said, changing the subject quickly. "Maybe your room faces the ocean! Wouldn't that be something nice?" 

Carrying her upstairs, Isabella walked around and peered into the various bedrooms, amazed at how nice everything looked. Down the hall, she heard Sonny talking to a cranky Evelina, who wanted nothing more than to sleep. 

"Lina, I know," Sonny cooed, as she cried. "You've been up all mornin' and you're sleepy. Just rest ya eyes for a bit and I'll bring you a baba." 

"Why she cry?" Carina asked, frowning up at her Mother. "Why, Mommy?" 

Isabella sighed, "She's sleepy, Carina," she said, watching Sonny walk around the bedroom with Evelina in his arms. "And it's so hot outside. Your sister doesn't do really well with the heat, like you do." 

A true winter baby Evelina was, having been born a week after Thanksgiving, seven months earlier; missing her November twenty-first due date, much to Isabella's distress. Unlike her sister, Evelina was fair skinned like Sonny and was prone to sunburn. Carina was the true summer baby, like her Mother, and enjoyed being out in the heat all day; though Sonny, being a true worrywart, made sure she was slathered in sunblock every twenty minutes. 

"How can we go swim, if Lina sleeps?" 

"Grandpa will probably stay in the house with her," Isabella whispered, as Sonny laid the sleeping child in the pack n' play. "He's been up all morning, packing up the car and driving." 

Sonny made his way towards the door, stepping out into the hallway. "She's so cranky," he said, shaking his head. "I think the beach is out for her today.." 

"But Daddy!" Carina whined, pouting. 

He snorted, "Carina, we're gonna go," he promised. "Just be patient and let us get everythin' in the house. Mommy will get your swimsuit on and we'll get ya bucket and go." 

Heading back downstairs, Sonny went to help Antonio with the food, while Isabella took Carina to the bathroom. "Just go pee pee and I'll change you," Isabella promised, as Carina whined. "Carina Rose! Do you want to sit inside all week? Because I'll make sure it happens!" 

Scowling at her, Carina tugged her pull up down and climbed up onto the potty. "Meanie Mommy," she shook her head, her red curls swaying along her shoulders. 

"Keep it up, Carina," Isabella warned. 

When the rooms were divided up and the food was put away, Sonny and Isabella changed into their bathing suits, before dressing Carina in her own. Packing a tote bag with towels, sunblock and toys, they waited for Noelle downstairs. 

"Lina should sleep for another hour or two," Isabella said, as Antonio sat on the couch. "If she wakes up, there's a bottle in the fridge. The bottle warmer is on the counter. Try to get her to drink most of it...." 

"I got it, I got it," Antonio said, waving his hand at her. "Dominick and Tommy are coming over in a few minutes to watch the ballgame. Angela, Bella and little Tori will meet you at down by the water..." 

Sonny nodded, as Carina bounced around him, "Just.. don't go and eat all the food," he snickered. "Iz will kill you guys if you eat all her chips.." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, as Noelle made her way downstairs. "Are we ready?" Noelle asked, hands on her hips. "How about you, Carina? Are you ready to play?" 

"Yes!" Carina squealed, as Noelle gave her husband a kiss goodbye. "Daddy, are you gonna jump in the water with me?" she asked, looking up at Sonny. 

"Of course!" Sonny exclaimed, pushing the screen door open. "Mommy will be too busy, workin' on her tan.." 

....................

By eight o'clock that night, everyone was down-right exhausted; an afternoon on the beach, followed by a late lunch and nap, getting up to make dinner seemed like a burden. Firing up the grill, they feasted on hot dogs and burgers, before disappearing in various portions of the house. Getting the girls in the bath, Carina was dressed and out cold in her bed by six-thirty. It was Evelina though, who napped all afternoon, that had the most energy. 

"She's gonna be up alllll night," Sonny snorted, as they sat on the patio. "Right? My lil' night owl!" 

Evelina squealed, as she wiggled in his arms. "Dada!" 

A cool breeze blew off from the shore, as the night air smelled of sea salt; the waves pounding down on the shore could be heard in the distance, as the moon and stars lit up the night sky. 

"I'm sure she'll pass out soon," Isabella shrugged, as she lounged in the recliner; a blanket resting over her legs. "Maybe tomorrow she'll be better about going down to the beach. Daddy wants to spend some time out there, you know. I'd hate for someone to be stuck in the house all week, because of Miss. Cranky Pants here.." 

Evelina babbled, as Sonny held onto her by the waist. "We've got the umbrella," he shrugged. "Give her a shovel and some shells and she'll be fine, Iz. It's supposed to rain tomorrow afternoon anyways, so we probably won't be down there that long." 

"Oh great," Isabella groaned, shaking her head. "Carina will LOVE that." 

"Carina will love all the toys and DVD's I packed for her," Sonny said, as he sat Evelina down on his lap. "It'll be fine, Iz. We've got plenty of stuff to keep us and the girls entertained for a rainy day. We also have plenty of food and I'm sure Ma and Pop will come over, along with Bella and Tori. Tori supposedly packed enough dolls for an army so... Carina's set." 

From inside the house, they could hear Noelle and Angela in the kitchen, while Dominick and Antonio watched another baseball game. With their house across the street, they didn't have to worry about walking too far to meet up with the Carisi's; they could still be together in one place, just by walking across the street. 

"How about we get this one down for bed?" Sonny suggested, as Evelina pulled at his shirt. "And we go to bed ourselves. You, my beach queen, had a little too much sun today. Don't want to over do it and ruin the whole week..." 

Isabella yawned, "You're right" she nodded, stretching her legs out in front of her. "Come on, Lina beans. Time for bed." 

Heading back into the house, Sonny had Evelina say her "goodnights" to her grandparents, before heading upstairs to her room. Changing her diaper, Sonny held her, while Isabella got the travel cot ready for bed. "Tomorrow, we're gonna play and eat hot doggies!" he gasped, as Evelina giggled. "Daddy'll take you and Carina for a walk down by the water. And we'll roast marshmallows after dinner and play with your bubbles." 

"Bubba! Bubba!" Evelina babbled, before breaking out in a wide yawn. 

"That's right," Sonny smiled down at her. "So, close your eyes and go to sleep. Mommy's got your ducky and your favorite blankie..." 

Easing her down into the cot, Sonny set the stuffed duck into Evelina's arms, while Isabella covered her with the pink blanket. Once the little snores began, as Evelina fell asleep, the couple quietly left the room and closed the door halfway behind them. Checking quickly on Carina, who was out cold in her bed, they made their way into their own room. Stripping down to their underwear, they quickly made use of the bathroom, before climbing into bed. 

"Oh, this is fuckin'  _nice,"_ Sonny groaned, sinking into the soft mattress. "And these pillows! Oh my  _god."_

Isabella snorted as Sonny groaned, shoving his face into the pillow. "Shhh," she whispered. "Our parents are gonna think we're doing the nasty up here, if you keep making all that noise." 

Sonny snorted, "Like they'll even care," he retorted. "Ma's been houndin' in me to knock you up, since two grandbabies isn't enough." 

"What?" she yelped. 

"Yeah, apparently, we should've gotten pregnant this past spring with baby number three," he scoffed. "Ever since your Nonna passed away after the holidaysl, Ma's been havin' these.. anxious moments as Pop calls 'em. She's scared that she won't be around long enough to see all our babies grow up. So, she wants you and Bella to like.. shoot 'em out like pez dispensers.." 

As sorry as she felt for Angela, Isabella couldn't help but snort. "I'm not getting pregnant anytime soon, Sonny," she finalized. "Don't get me wrong. I want to have another baby, but I'm almost back to my pre-pregnancy size and we're struggling with Carina's potty training. Ev is only seven months old, and I'm not getting knocked up anytime soon, after pushing out a nine pound baby seven months previously. I need at least another year or two, before we go through pregnancy and child birth again.." 

Sonny wrapped his arm around her waist, "Believe me, I agree," he said. "We're still young, Iz. We've got a few more years in us, to have another baby or two, before we close down shop. I'm not in any rush to knock ya up again, just like you're not in any rush to get knocked up. Let's enjoy the two we have, before we add one more to the mix."

"God, I love you," Isabella sighed happily, rubbing her nose against his. 'Best. Husband. Ever." 

"You're ridiculous," Sonny sorted, pressing a kiss to her lips. "I love you, too." 

............

The next morning, after a quick breakfast, Sonny took the girls down to the beach; leaving Isabella and her parents at the house to meet up with them. By the time they did, Carina had dug a deep hole in the ground, while Sonny helped; Evelina sat up on her towel, hiding underneath the umbrella. In her hands, she held her teething ring, watching closely as Daddy and Sissy dug a hole. 

"Dada?" Evelina babbled, frowning at him. "Dada?" 

"Daddy, it's so far down!" Carina gasped, as Isabella set her tote bag on the blanket. "Are we gonna finds the mermaids? Ariel?" 

Sonny chuckled, "I hope so, Rina," he said, scooping sand into a bucket. "Otherwise, we'll have to find another spot to dig." 

Shaking her head, Isabella ducked under the umbrella, pulling Evelina into her lap. "You better pray to god, that no one falls in there, Sonny," she warned, as Evelina wiggled in her grasp. "And that you guys put the sand back in there before we head back to the house." 

Taking a quick break to eat sandwiches and fruit, Sonny took Carina down by the water to look for shells. Evelina sat with Noelle, while Isabella followed her husband with his camera, taking photos at a short distance. Two happy faces smiling up at her, as the summer sun kissed every inch of them; a moment caught on film, which would be a treasured memory for years to come. 

"What are we going to do with all these shells?" Sonny asked, as he carried Carina back up to the blanket. 

"Paint them!" 

He chuckled, "Mommy will have to buy ya paints," he said, placing the bucket down. "C'mon, let's cover this hole and clean up our mess. We're gonna head back to the house soon, since it's gettin' cloudy." 

She pouted, "Later, we'll come back,' Sonny said. "We can't play out here if it's rainin', Carina. All the lightnin' could hurt us, if we're not inside." 

"Ohhhhkayyy,"Carina sighed dramatically, resting her head against his shoulder. "Can we still have hot doggies?" 

"We can," Sonny nodded, rubbing her back gently, before turning to Isabella. "You ready to go up? I don't want to get caught in the rain with the kids." 

Isabella nodded, "I'll pack up and get Evelina," she said, moving quickly to get toys and bottles into the tote bag. "Come on, Lina." 

Covering the massive hole in the sand, Sonny closed the umbrella and helped with the giant blanket; folding and shoving it into the tote bag, before picking up the umbrella again. "Got everythin'?" he asked, eyeing the section they had occupied that morning. "Alright, let's go! Baths, hot doggies and a princess movie!" 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2 will either be the next chapter.


	11. the island of fire part 2

By the middle of the week, Isabella and Sonny were just  _exhausted;_ being in the sun all day and running after one, very small and very active child , were enough to make anyone wish for a cocktail and a long nap. They barely had any alone time, once the girls went down for a nap or for bed, as they tumbled face first into the pillows. After a long day of playing on the beach and eating dinner outside on the patio, Noelle and Antonio took the girls across the street to spend the night with Dominick and Angela. 

"You two need a night alone," Antonio said, as he shouldered the diaper bag. "They've got an extra room for us and the girls can sleep with Tori." 

"Are you sure?" Isabella asked, as Sonny kissed Carina and Evelina goodbye. "What if they get really cranky?" 

Noelle sighed, "Isabella, they'll be fine," she said, shaking her head. "Enjoy the evening with your husband, without the children and your parents, and be romantic. If I have to look at you two, undressing each other with your eyes over breakfast, I will scream." 

Sonny snorted, "Jesus, Frenchie," he said, as she scowled at him. "Babe, let them go before we lose the chance to be alone. We rarely get date night anymore!" 

"Fine," Isabella gave in, despite being slightly anxious. "If anything, and I mean  _anything,_ happens... you call us and bring them over. I don't care how minor it is, guys." 

"Go open a bottle of wine and enjoy yaselves," Antonio shook his head, as he took Evelina from Sonny. "Come on, girls. Let's go see what Grandpa and Nonno can do with a bag of marshmallows and chocolate." 

As her parents and the girls stepped outside, Isabella rushed to the screen door. "DON'T LET CARINA EAT TOO MUCH SUGAR BEFORE BED!" she yelled, as they crossed the street. "I'M NOT KIDDING, YOU GUYS!" 

Pulling her away from the screen door, Sonny shut the secondary door and locked it. "Will you relax?" he shook his head. "I'm about to lay a yard of dick on ya, and you're worried about how much sugar they're gonna eat!" 

"Lay a yard of...Sonny, you _really_ need to stop reading urban dictionary, when you're taking a shit," Isabella scoffed, walking away from him. "What kind of way is that? Talking to your wife, the mother of your children, like she's a easy lay." 

"If it bothers you so much, why are you stompin' upstairs to the bedroom?" he asked, as Isabella stopped on the third step of the staircase. "Where _are_ you going, Isabella Carisi?" 

She turned around and glared at him, "Going upstairs to wait for this.. supposed yard of dick you're going to lay on me, Dominick Carisi Junior!" 

Grinning, Sonny quickly started for the stairs, chuckling as Isabella dashed up the rest of them and down the hall to their bedroom. With the house solely to themselves, they were able to be as loud as possible, without having Carina bust in on them; or to make future family functions awkward, considering how mouthy they both got, in the throes of passion. Later, dressed only in their underwear, Sonny and Isabella made their way downstairs to find something to eat. 

"We should have more nights to ourselves," Sonny said, as they ate microwaved s'mores. "Or at least one night a week, ya know?" 

"And who do we hand the kids off to?" Isabella snorted. "I don't trust anyone but our parents, Liv Fin or Amanda.." 

He shrugged, "We could make it work," he said finally, tapping his fingers on the table top. "Maybe send them to my parents for a weekend. Or to yours...." 

She smirked, "You know, the last time we sent a kid away for a night, I ended up pregnant," she reminded him. 

"Oh.. you're right," Sonny said, as his eyes went wide. "You did remember to take ya pills, right?" 

"Relax," Isabella snickered. "I got it covered, Sonny. Besides, I renewed my prescription two weeks ago remember?" 

Sonny sighed in relief, "Good, because you would've definitely gotten pregnant tonight," he smirked, which made Isabella roll her eyes. "How about we head back up and go again? Before you know it, it'll be mornin' and we'll have two cranky kids on us." 

................

"Cranky baby and a sunburned Daddy," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "Did you take something for the pain?" 

Sonny groaned, "Nah," he shook his head. "I gave Lina her last bottle, so you're gonna have to pump more later....." 

She nodded, "I have aloe in the bathroom downstairs if you need it," she said, as Lina yawned. "Why don't you two take a nap? Carina and I are going with Maman for a walk with Bella and Tori..." 

"Kay," he nodded, yawning. "Be careful alright? I don't want you guys disappearin' out there, so make sure you stay in sight of large crowds." 

"We will," Isabella promised, leaning down to kiss him. "Get some rest, Sonny. You were down at the beach for a long time this morning.." 

Tucking them both in with the blankets, Isabella closed the curtains and left the windows open, letting in the ocean breeze. Making her way downstairs, Isabella grabbed her bag and sun hat, before following her Mother and Carina outside. When they returned home, two hours later, Carina was ready to eat dinner. Handing her over to Noelle, who took her upstairs for a bath, Isabella went to check on Sonny and Evelina. 

"Hey princess," she whispered, as Evelina cooed at her. "Ready for a diaper change?" 

Picking her up, Isabella took Evelina out of the bedroom and went to change her diaper, before bringing her downstairs to eat. 

"Where's Sonny?" Noelle asked, as Antonio took the toddler. 

"Still asleep," Isabella sighed, filling a glass up with water. "I'm gonna see if he wants to eat something before dinner. He hasn't eaten since eleven thirty this morning, and its's a quarter to five now." 

Heading back up, Isabella set the glass of water on the nightstand, before crawling up onto the bed; leaning over him, Isabella shook him lightly, pressing a kiss to his sunburned cheek. 

"Hmmm," he groaned, shifting under the blankets. 

"Hey," she whispered, smoothing his hair away from his face. "Are you hungry?" 

Sonny nodded, his eyes still closed. "Yeah," he mumbled, as Isabella continued to stroke his forehead. "What time is it?" 

"Almost five," Isabella whispered, as he opened his eyes. "How do you feel? Besides tired that is.." 

"Body hurts," Sonny pouted. "I'ma idiot, Iz. Should've put on more sunblock like ya said.." 

Isabella shook her head, "Don't beat yourself up, Sonny. I'll take really good care of you later," she promised, snickering at the lazy smirk he gave her. "Not like that, you horndog. I mean a full body rub down of aloe vera, with a dose of Motrin." 

Sonny pouted, "I heard a handy works," he said, his hand trailing up her sundress. "Relieves the tension in the muscles and leaves ya feelin' relaxed..." 

"We'll see," Isabella said, moving his hand from under her dress. "Come downstairs and I'll start dinner. Carina wants to tell you about our walk, since she missed you so much this afternoon.." 

Grumbling, Sonny got out of bed and followed Isabella downstairs, where Carina sat on the sofa with her dolls. "Daddy!" she squealed, as he came over to sit down next to her. "I saw birdies and a mommy deer and a baby deer!" 

"Wow!" Sonny gasped, as he lounged against the cushions. "What else, baby?" 

Pulling Carina onto his lap, Sonny wrapped his arms around her little frame, listening intently as she babbled. "Mommy says if you're a good Daddy, you can see the deer tomorrow," Carina said, nodding her head. "But only if you're good, Daddy." 

"I'm always good,  _topolina,"_ Sonny said, as Carina giggled. "Mommy's tellin' you stories again, isn't she?" 

"Mommy tells me funny stories," she said, as Sonny played with her hair. "Funny stories about you, Daddy! And Grandma!" 

Sonny snorted, "I bet she does," he nodded, tweaking her nose. "How about we see what's on? Maybe one of your Disney shows are on right now..." 

Grabbing the remote, Sonny turned the television on, as Carina settled down on his lap, resting her head against his chest. From the kitchen, Isabella could see the two of them, relaxing on the couch, as an old episode of  _Elena of Avalon_ started up. Carina's little bare feet, toes painted neon pink, bounced up and down with music. At the table, Evelina grabbed at the newspaper, as Antonio read. 

"Aye, watch it," Antonio said, as Evelina's little fist, crumpled the sports section. "You're gettin' a bit handsy there, Evelina." 

"Ah!" Evelina shrieked, as Antonio pried her little fingers off the page.  

Isabella wiped her hands on a dish towel, before grabbing a container of her baby puffs. "Here," she said, bringing the container over to the table. "Give her some of these and she'll stop. She does the same thing to Sonny, so he bribes her with food and suddenly the paper doesn't seem so interesting at all." 

Opening the container, Antonio shook a peach flavored puffs out onto the table, to which Evelina grabbed at. "Well, she certainly has her Father's love for sweets," he chuckled, as Evelina drooled all over her fingers. "Do you want me to put her in the living room and help ya with dinner?" 

"No, no," Isabella shook her head, as Noelle came in from the patio. "Maman and I will take care of everything. You guys sit and relax, alright?" 

"I need more burgers if you want to eat," Noelle muttered, moving to grab a box out of the freezer. "And what about those hot dogs? Will Carina eat them tonight?" 

Isabella snorted, "Maman, she eats them like they're going out of style," she said, shaking her head. "Make a couple extra, because Sonny hasn't eaten anything since we came back from the beach." 

..............

After dinner and washing the dishes, the girls went upstairs with Noelle for their baths, while Isabella set up the fire pit for s'mores and other snacks. 

"Whoa!" Sonny exclaimed, his gaze settled towards the beach. 

"What?" Isabella asked, looking up quickly. "What's wrong?" 

A loud boom, followed by a flash, lit up the night sky. "Fireworks!" Sonny exclaimed, growing giddy by the second. "Iz! Fireworks!" 

From inside they house, they could hear Carina screeching excitedly at Noelle, while Evelina whined. "Grandma! Grandma! The colors are in the sky!" Carina yelled, as she rushed through the house. "Mommy! Open the door!" 

"Carina Rose! Do not run!" Noelle shouted, as Evelina fussed. "Shhh. It's alright, Evelina. Here, take your pacifier!" 

"Daddy! The colors!" Carina yelled, as she rushed onto the patio. 

Picking her up, Sonny and Carina faced the sky and waited, shouting in glee when the next firework went off. "Pink!" Carina squealed, wrapping her arms around Sonny's neck. 

Evelina went to her Mother, burying her face into her neck, as the fireworks went off, one right after another. "Shh, it's alright," Isabella cooed, bouncing her lightly. "Look how pretty, Lina. So many colors!" 

"Mama!" Evelina whined, kicking against her ribs. 

"Let's sit down and make some s'mores," Sonny said, turning around to place Carina on the bench. "We're not stayin' out here too long though, since you've been up all day." 

Carina nodded and turned her attention back to the sky, as Sonny went to work, plucking marshmallows out of the bag. "Here baby," he cooed, handing a marshmallow to Evelina. "Go on! Play with this and you'll feel better.." 

Taking the marshmallow from him, Evelina shoved it into her mouth, only to have Noelle stop her. "Sonny! She can't eat this!" she said, pulling the drool covered treat out. "Grandma has your baby snacks right here, my love!" 

Passing out plates with graham crackers, Sonny worked on roasting the marshmallows over the fire pit, while Isabella broke up the chocolate. "Dad and Ma went down to a bar," Sonny said, as he blew on a gooey puff. "So, they're not coming tonight." 

"What about Bella, Tommy and Tori?" she asked, using the crackers to pull the marshmallow off the stick. 

"Eh.. they want to have a night with Tori," he shrugged, as Isabella handed the plate over to Antonio. "But they're gonna spend the day here with us, all of 'em." 

Once everyone had a s'more, Sonny and Isabella took the wicker love seat for themselves. By the time they were finished, they had two sleepy children on their laps, leaning against their parents as the fireworks continued to go off. 

"This was a great idea," Sonny said, as Carina snuggled against his chest. "Comin' out here with the family." 

"Yeah," Isabella nodded, smiling at him. "It was. Maybe next summer we could come back out here.." 

He nodded, "Oh for sure," he agreed, as Carina squealed at the display of red and orange fireworks. "Whoa! Look at those beauties!" 

Carina giggled, "They look like fire, Daddy!" she exclaimed. "Fire for the island of fire!" 

"Yeah, the island of fire," Sonny snorted. "Nonno's been tellin' her stories again. This time, it's a fairy tale themed one, takin' pace here on the "island of fire"" 

"Ahh, I see," Isabella giggled, as Evelina yawned widely. "We'll have to get Nonno to tell us this story tomorrow." 

The three year old nodded, trying her best to hide the yawn behind her little hand. "A few more minutes, then it's bedtime," Sonny said, pressing a kiss against her head. "That way, we can go for a walk to see the baby deer again." 

Pleased with the compromise, Carina laid her head back down against Sonny's chest, her eyes glued to the night sky. As the fireworks rang about over head, Isabella scooted closer to her husband's side, keeping her old on the sleepy infant in her arms, before resting up against him. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Sonny pressed a kiss against her cheek, before turning his eyes up to the sky. 


	12. first year down

Isabella yawned as she made her way through the apartment, the smell of coffee and bacon, waking her up with each step. 

"I smell something yummy," she called out, stepping into the kitchen. "And I see someone extra yummy cooking..." 

Sonny chuckled, as he stood by the stove, tending to the pan of bacon; on another burner, a pan of scrambled eggs were cooking as well. At the table, Carina lay nestled in her bouncer, her eyes moving back and forth as she stared at the ceiling. 

"Hi my little sweetheart," Isabella cooed, tickling Carina's sock clad toes. "Are you watching Daddy cook?" 

"She's been quiet as a mouse," Sonny said, as he cooked. "We've been up since eight-thirty, Carina and I.' 

Isabella frowned, "Did she have another blow out?" she asked, reaching down to check the infants diaper. "Did you leave a surprise for Daddy?" she cooed, as Carina cooed at her. "Hmm? A big, stinky surprise?" 

"Nah, she was wet," her husband shrugged. "But, we took a quick trip up to the store to get more diapers. And food for breakfast." 

"You took her to the store this morning?" Isabella asked, surprised. "Sonny... why didn't you wake me?" 

Lowering the heat on the burner, Sonny made his way over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Because," he started, kissing her neck. "You looked so peaceful, Iz. And Carina had you up at four for a feedin', so I didn't want to wake you. And she was great, Iz. I put her in that baby carrier thing, you know.. the one that straps to your chest? And she was such a good lil' baby." 

Carina turned her head towards Sonny and smiled, her toothless gums wet with drool. "She's probably hungry," he noted, using his hand to wipe a glob of saliva from her mouth. "She gets all... drooly when it's time to feed." 

"Poor girl," Isabella snorted, as she carefully unstrapped and picked Carina out of the seat. "So," she sighed, moving to sit at the table, using one hand to pull down the strap to her tank top. "Why are we up cooking breakfast? Usually it's a bowl of cereal or waffles these days..." 

"Today's a big day," Sonny said, moving back to the stove. 

"Oh," Isabella nodded, as Carina latched onto her breast. "It is?" 

Sonny turned to look at her in disbelief, only to find Isabella smirking at him. "That was not funny," he said, pointing at her. "I really thought, for a split second, that you forgot." 

She snorted, "How could I forget?" she asked, shifting Carina in her arms. "Our first anniversary as husband and wife? Besides the birth of our daughter, I've been looking forward to this day since the day we actually got married!" 

"Well, the entire day is ours," he said, grabbing a dish out of the counter. "I mean, it won't be what I originally planned, before we found out about Carina..." 

"And tell me, Mr. Carisi, what  _did_ you originally plan for today?" she smirked, her fingers trailing along Carina's bare legs. 

Setting the dish onto the counter, Sonny turned and smirked at her, "Besides a nice dinner?" he asked, as she nodded. "I figured some lacy panties on your end, plus a night of frolicklin' in the sheets." 

Isabella snorted, "We can still do that, you know," she reminded him. 'Sure, our time.. frolicking between the sheets will be a timed event, but we can still do all that.." 

"Did you buy somethin' for tonight?" he asked, scooping the bacon out of the pan. "Is that why Bella was here last week, leaving me with Tori and Carina?" 

"Well, how else was I going to try on stuff?" she asked, scoffing. "Plus, I didn't feel quite comfortable, buying sexy underthings with a two month old. Or the big box of condoms and lube at this trashy sex store, which Bella  _forced_ me to go into." 

Sonny sputtered, "Y-you went into a sex shop?" he asked, hand clutching the front of his shirt. "Isabella Marie! Are you tryin' to kill me here?" 

Isabella giggled, "Trying to make this night as sexy as possible," she sighed, looking down at the baby attached to her breast. "Sucks that I have to stick nursing pads into my bra tonight." 

"Eh, you could always pump beforehand.." Sonny suggested. "Besides, you know me Iz. I don't care if you leak a lil' here and there." 

"I just can't wait for the day, when I don't have to wear a bra to bed," she sighed, resting her head against the back of the chair. "Of all the things that come with breastfeeding, I hate wearing the bras all day long." 

Dishing the food into serving bowls, Sonny started bringing them over to the table, moving Carina's chair out of the way. "Like I said," he started, bending down to kiss her. "Pump beforehand and afterwards, you can put one back on. Or sleep without, because I don't care if you leak all over me or the bed." 

Isabella wrinkled her nose at him, "You're weird," she remarked, as he went to get the carton of juice out of the fridge. "Daddy's weird, Carina." 

"So is Mommy," Sonny laughed, as he finished getting breakfast together. "Which makes you just as weird, Carina." 

.....................

After breakfast, Carina went down for a nap, while Sonny finished cleaning up the kitchen. Taking a quick shower, Isabella strapped herself into a clean nursing bra, before pulling a pair of leggings on. Grabbing one of Sonny's thermals, Isabella tugged it over her head as she made her way out of the room. 

"So, what do you want to do today?" she asked, as Sonny dropped the sponge into the sink. "We could.... go for a walk with the baby when she wakes up. Or we can clean the apartment and catch up on chores, since we're both home today." 

"House work?" Sonny frowned, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "That's not really romantic, Iz." 

She giggled, nuzzling her nose against his chest. "Anything with you is romantic, Sonny," he reminded him. "Happy anniversary, baby." 

"Happy anniversary," Sonny replied, pulling her closer to his chest. "Can't believe it's been a whole year, since we got married." 

"Me either," she admitted, looking up at him. "But, it's been quite the year. A little unexpected, but I wouldn't change it for a thing." 

Sonny nodded in agreement, "I have somethin' for you," he said. 

Isabella frowned, "You do?" she asked, as Sonny untangled himself from her arms. "What do you have for me? You didn't have to get me anything, Sonny.." 

"Ah, that's where you're wrong," he said, pulling her out of the kitchen. "How could I not buy my wife, the mother of my child, a gift for our first wedding anniversary?" 

"Oh no, did you go overboard?" Isabella asked, as they went into the living room. "Sonny, I really hope you didn't. Because then I'll feel like my gift is corny, because it didn't cost as much!" 

He sat down next to her, taking both her hands into his. "Hey, price doesn't matter here," he said. "Sure, we said we're gonna be on a strict budget between now and the end of the year, but this is a big deal for me. Not only did you have our baby three months ago, but this is our first wedding anniversary. And we're actually able to celebrate it today, without either one of us goin' into work!" 

Isabella nodded slowly, "This might be the first and only time we'll have the whole day, for our anniversary, together," he pointed out. "So for today, let me spoil ya." 

"Okay," she nodded, smiling shyly at him. 

"Good," Sonny grinned, as he got up from the couch. "Okay, don't move! And close your eyes, Iz!" 

Doing what she was told, Isabella sat on the couch with her eyes close, listening out for Sonny and the baby. A few seconds later, she heard Sonny coming back in, setting something down on the floor in front of her. "Okay, open them!" 

Opening her eyes, Isabella found a large box in front of her, wrapped in the cutest wrapping paper. "Unicorns!" she squealed, clapping her hands together. "Wherever did you find it!" 

"Frenchie found it on some ritzy stationary store in Manhattan," he waved his hand at her. "She basically bought them out and then online, since you're a unicorn freak." 

"Oh, it's so pretty," she gasped, running her fingers along the paper. "Maman knows me so well."

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Alright, will you open the present already?" he asked. "I didn't just wrap up a box for the hell of it, Iz. This took me  _forever!"_

Giggling, Isabella carefully ripped open the present, gasping when she saw the picture on the box. "You didn't!" she gasped, looking up at Sonny. "You- you!!!!" 

"I got you a rocking chair," he nodded, watching with amusement as she squealed, hugging the box as best as she could. "Of all the things we put on the registry, I still can't believe we didn't put a rockin' chair on it." 

"Oh, it's beautiful!" she gasped, tilting the box back to look at the picture. "White wood with grey cushioning! And it comes with a little foot rest! Oh, I'm in love with it already and it's still in the box!" 

He snorted, moving to sit next to her. "I take it you like it?" he asked, as Isabella nodded with a smile. "Good. Frenchie and I bickered over this one and another set, before I pulled the whole "it's my house not yours," card." 

"I'm surprised she let you go with your life," she remarked, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you, baby. It's perfect! I can't wait to use it, especially during late night feedings." 

Before Sonny could reply, the baby monitor went off, as Harry bolted into the living room and under the coffee table. "What did you do, Harry?" Sonny asked, as Carina wailed from the nursery. "If I find one scratch on her, you're goin' in the alley!" 

Leia jumped up onto the coffee table, before launching onto the box in front of Isabella. "Oh boy," she sighed, scratching Leia's head. "What did your brother do, Leia? Hmm?" 

...................

After a quick diaper change and feeding, the couple spent the afternoon walking in the park; Carina nestled in the baby carrier, strapped to Sonny's chest, with his arm wrapped around Isabella's shoulders. On the way back to the apartment, they stopped to pick up ice cream and a loaf of Italian bread for dinner, before heading home to start dinner. While Carina was nestled in her bouncer once again, Isabella helped Sonny with dinner. 

"Babe, go relax," Sonny said, trying to get her to sit down for the day. "I can cook." 

"But I wanna do it together," she whined, pouting up at him. "C'mon, Sonny. It's extra romantic if we do it togetherrrrr." 

Giving in, they both worked on getting the chicken parmesan in the oven, before it was time to feed Carina again. Once she was finished nursing, content and cozy in her chair, dinner was just about done. Setting the table with cutlery and plates, Sonny dished out the spaghetti, before laying two breaded pieces of chicken onto each plate. Adding the finishing touches, homemade sauce and cheese, Sonny carried the two plates to the table. Once the bread and butter, along with their drinks, were on the table, they sat down and ate. 

When they were finished, Sonny went to work, loading the dishwasher with dirty plates, pots and pans. Wiping the table down, Isabella collected Carina from her chair, pressing a kiss to her head. 

"I'll put her in the bath and get her ready for bed," she informed him. "Then, I'll pump a few bottles. Can you spare me for an hour and a half?" 

"Of course," Sonny nodded, setting the glasses into the top rack of the washer. "Just don't lay down and fall asleep on me, alright?" 

Isabella grinned, "I'll do my best," she promised, running her hand gently up and down Carina's back. "Come on,  _topolina._ Let's go take a nice bath and get ready for bed..." 

Turning the washer on, Sonny moved about, putting away a few things here and there. Heading into the bedroom, he quickly made the bed, before moving into the bathroom to shower. In the time that it took for Sonny to shower, Isabella had managed to get Carina down in her crib, before carrying out the breast pump to the living room. 

"Hey," Sonny sighed, as he came over to the sofa. "That looks like fun." 

"Oh you know," Isabella shrugged, as the machine hummed. "Looking like a science experiment has always been a dream of mine." 

He snorted, "How much more do you think you'll get?" he asked, as she fastened another bottle to the cup attached to a breast. "Jesus.. that's a lot of milk." 

She screwed the cap onto the bottle, setting it down on the coffee table, before leaning back against the couch. "Probably one more after this," she shrugged, looking over at him. "Then, I'll put everything away and change, so that we can get our frolicking on.." 

"Good, because I don't know how long Carina will sleep for," he said, looking sheepish. "I'm also gettin' sleepy." 

"Aw, you poor baby," Isabella cooed, pinching his cheek lightly. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you have a good time tonight." 

Sonny scowled as she snickered, "While we wait, you're present is on the table here," Isabella said, nodding her head towards the gift bag on the coffee table. "And no, it's not something from the sex shop." 

He sat up and reached for the bag, "Aw, you mean no furry handcuffs?" he pouted, setting the bag on his lap. "Hmm, it's heavy." 

"Open!" Isabella begged, nudging his leg with her arm. 

"Alright, alright!" he laughed, pulling the tissue paper out of the bag. "Oh look at this!" 

Pulling out a large brown photo album, Sonny turned it over and chuckled. "Is this us?" he asked, eyeing the drawing of Han Solo and Princess Leia. 

"Of course," Isabella snickered. "Harry and Leia are R-2 and BB-8, while Carina's our little Chewy." 

"This is friggin' adorable," Sonny shook his head, looking at their family portrait . "Alright, lets see what we got in here.." 

Flipping open the book, Sonny flipped through the pages slowly and quietly, taking in all the photos within; from early on into their relationship, to their wedding and honeymoon, followed by the first ultrasound picture of Carina. 

"I wanted to make sure I put all the important moments in there," Isabella said, watching him. "From the beginning to now, before and after marriage and Carina." 

The last photo was of the three of them, the day they brought Carina home from the hospital, sitting on their sofa. Harry and Leia were also in the picture, perched on the back of the sofa, like little statues. An exhausted Sonny and extremely exhausted Isabella, smiled up at the camera as Carina slept in Isabella's arms. But despite being up for almost three days, between laboring, delivery and post-natal testing, they both looked extremely happy in the picture. And they were, despite being overwhelmed and running on a few hours of sleep. 

"This is the best..." Sonny shook his head, turning to look at Isabella. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome," she smiled at him, laying her hand on his thigh. "There's a few more things in there for you, that Carina picked out." 

He snorted, "I have something for you that I picked out too," he nodded. "It's in the bedroom and I'm not talkin' about my dick or anything.." 

Isabella laughed, "Let me finish up here and we can go in there," she said, turning the pump off. "Can you take the bottles and put them in the freezer for me? Save one or two for the fridge though, that way if she wakes up, I can warm a bottle for her." 

Doing what he was asked, Sonny collected the bottles and carried them into the kitchen, while Isabella disappeared into the bedroom. Grabbing the photo album and gift bag, Sonny slowly followed, while pulling out various gifts from the confines of the bag. 

"Whoa," he chuckled, holding up another Star Wars shirt. "This is so cool, babe! Now Carina and I will match! I knew gettin' her that onesie was a great id- whoa." 

He paused in the doorway, as Isabella stood by their bed, dressed in black lace; a short silk robe covered the rest of her torso and hips, hiding the extra baby weight that she still carried. Setting the bag down on the dresser, Sonny closed the door behind him, before making his way over to her. 

"Do you like what you see?" Isabella asked, as his arms came around her waist. 

Sonny leaned down and kissed her, making Isabella moan and wrap her arms around his neck. "Does that answer ya question?" he asked, when they pulled apart. 

Isabella nodded, "Good," he grinned, moving his hands up underneath the robe. "Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Carisi." 

"Happy Anniversary, Mr. Carisi," she giggled, as he carefully pushed her back onto the bed. "Here's to many, many more years together." 

 


	13. green mush

Sonny looked down at the bowl in his hands, lips curled in disgust, as the baby squealed from her high chair. Looking up, he gave Carina a weak smile, before stirring the purred green mush with a spoon. 

"I don't know, baby girl," he shook his head, pulling his chair closer to her. "I don't think you're ready for this stuff, but Mommy says otherwise." 

At six months old, Carina was a happy and healthy baby, meeting her targeted milestones in a timely matter. She was a touchy feely little girl, grabbing everything and anything within her reach; from clothes to faces, Carina was curious about her surroundings. Attracted to bold colors and fluffy toys, her growing wardrobe and toy collected included both. 

Along with these milestones, the idea of introducing solid foods came up, during their recent trip to the pediatrician for her six month checkup. Given a clean bill of health, along with three shots  (much to Carina's dislike, as well as Sonny's), Isabella talked to the doctor about solid food. With a few helpful tips and light reading material, Isabella did more research at home on the topic. Buying a few jars of solid food, Isabella was determined to get Carina into the new phase of her development. 

"Here we go," Sonny said, scooping a small helping of baby food onto the spoon. "Open for the Millennium Falcon!" 

Carina squealed as Sonny mimicked the sound of an engine, before opening her curious little mouth; in went the spoon and the mysterious green goo, before being pulled away. Instantly, Carina's face scrunched up in disgust, as the purred pea mush dribbled down her chin and onto her bib. 

"Oh no," Sonny breathed, as Carina's eyes began to water. "Oh,  _topolina!_ I'm sorry!" 

Her little mouth opened and the most horrendous wail, the worst one in the six months of being alive, came out. Setting the bowl down on the table, Sonny quickly got her out of the high chair, his hands trembling as he struggled with the buckle. 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he said, pulling her into his arms. "Aw, shit. I knew this was gonna happen!" 

Going from the silent-open mouth scream, to full blown wails, Sonny carried the baby around the apartment, bouncing her lightly in his arms. 

"Daddy's sorry,"he said, speaking in a soothing tone. "I told Mommy that you weren't ready for solid food yet. And that peas were the worst, because who in their right mind would give purred peas to a baby. As their first solid food!" 

Cleaning up her face and setting the soiled bib onto the high chair try, Sonny took out a bottle from the fridge and placed it in the warmer. "How about we try apples tomorrow?" he asked her, as her wails started to diminish to whimpers. "Hm? Or a mushed up banana? Mommy makes Daddy eat a banana every mornin' before work. We could both eat one together and that will be our thing." 

The bottle warmer gurgled and bubbled, as it heated up the mixture of breast milk and formula. Carina looked from the bottle to Sonny, her face red and wet from her crying. Pouting, Sonny wiped her face gently with his hand and sighed, watching as she hiccuped with each breath. 

"You know, it's alright if you want to drink from your baba," he started. "None of this stuff is excitin' anyways, since you can't get the real flavor of anythin'. When you're a little older, that's when the food starts to taste really good. Daddy is a great cook and so is Mommy, along with Grandma and Grandpa. Even Nonno and Nonna are amazin' cooks. And bein' that you're half Italian, you're part of a culture that knows food."

Grabbing the bottle out of the warmer, Sonny shifted Carina to test the temperature on his forearm. Finding it suitable for consuming, Sonny carried the baby into the living room and sat down in the arm chair. 

"Here we go," he cooed, placing the nipple of the bottle against her lips, to which she opened quickly. "I'll find you somethin' really yummy to eat, Carina. No more peas for my lil' girl."

Carina suckled the mixture greedily, her hands coming up to "help" hold her bottle, as Sonny held it. Her eyelids began to droop with each swallow, until she fell into a light slumber; furiously suckling down the remainder of her lunch, every time Sonny tried to remove the bottle from her mouth. With the bottle empty, Carina was lightly snoring in Sonny's arms. Carefully, Sonny reached for a burp cloth on the coffee table, tossing it over his shoulder. 

"Shhh," he whispered, as he moved Carina to rest against his shoulder, patting gently against her back. "Just one burp and I'll put you to bed." 

Once she burped, Sonny carried her down the hall to her room, checking her diaper with a few pats. Tucked in with her stuffed pig, Sonny turned on the mobile above the crib and checked the baby monitor on the dresser. Only a quarter after one, Sonny was in no rush to nap himself; there was a basket of laundry to be put away, along with cleaning up the high chair and disposing the bowl of green mush. 

Closing the door halfway, Sonny quietly went into the kitchen, finding Harry and Leia by their bowls. "I didn't forget about you two,' he snickered, moving to grab the bag of cat food out of the cabinet. "At least you eat pretty much anythin' we give ya." 

Scratching them both behind their ears, Sonny put the bag away and went to clean Carina's high chair. Checking his phone, he found a few texts from Isabella, who was at the grocery store shopping. 

" _They didn't have any nice tomatoes that you love, so I got a few smaller ones for dinner,"_ one text read. 

" _Do we need anymore wipes? I've got a box of diapers and diaper cream, but did we need wipes?"_

_"What about cat treats?"_

_"Sonny, are you awake? Can you answer my texts before I go up to pay? I'm hungry and I want to get out of here!"_

Responding quickly to each message in one whole text back, Sonny turned the ringer on and placed the phone into his sweatshirt pocket. Wiping the tray of the high chair down, Sonny tossed the bowl and spoon into the sink, before taking the bib to the washer. Starting up a load of baby clothes, soiled burp rags and bibs, Sonny grabbed the basket of clean laundry and brought it into the living room to fold and sort. 

Sonny had just finished folding up the towels, when the keys in the lock sounded, before the door was opened. Quickly, he made he way over to the door and helped Isabella with the folding wagon, pulling it into the apartment. 

"She's asleep," he said quietly, as Isabella closed the door behind them. "Went down like.. twenty minutes ago." 

"Good," Isabella sighed, setting the box of diapers onto the dining room table. "Did she eat?" 

Sonny scoffed, "She threw a fit," he shook his head, lifting a shopping tote out of the wagon. "Our girl doesn't like peas." 

Isabella pouted, "Iz, I don't think she's really ready," he continued, unloading the boxes of pasta and snacks. "If we do this, we need to find something more appealin' than green mush." 

"The pediatrician said.." she started, before he cut her off. 

"Not all babies are goin' to be ready, right away, at six months old," he pressed. "I'll try givin' her a banana tomorrow or some applesauce, but if she doesn't want to eat it, we can't force her." 

She sighed, "Alright," she gave in, setting her bag down on the table. "How upset was she?" 

Sonny opened the refrigerator door, "I thought she was bein' killed, the way she was wailin'," he shook his head. "I don't know if it was the taste or the texture, but she was one unhappy baby." 

"My poor girl," Isabella groaned, shaking her head. "Okay, no more peas. I should've tried something different anyways, since she's a mini- you. You hate peas with every fiber of your being, so I should've thought that Carina would be the same way." 

"Ah, she'll forgive you," Sonny teased, setting the gallon of ice cream into the freezer. "She always does, especially when you give her a bottle or a boob to feast on." 

Making a face, Isabella closed up the folding wagon and stored it in the hall closet. "I'm going to check on her," she said, kicking off her shoes. "Can you throw a plate of leftovers into the microwave for me? I'm gonna make grilled chicken tonight with salad, so don't go and put a pot of water on for more pasta.' 

"You wound me, Iz," Sonny chuckled, getting the container of leftovers out for her. "You make it sound like that's all I make." 

"Every other day," Isabella reminded him, giving him a small smile. "Oh, Ma called when I was on the line to pay. Call her back for me? I think she wants to talk about Christmas and what our plans are this year. Maman, Daddy and Joey are all okay with coming here or going to them, depending on what your parents are doing. So, find out and tell them we'll let them know." 

Setting the dish into the microwave, Sonny nodded to himself. "I will," he said, tossing the container into the sink. "Don't wake the baby, Iz. She might blow out her diaper, since she's a bit pissy at you. Makin' her eat mushed peas after all..." 

He snickered as Isabella mumbled under her breath, as he reached for the phone. 

 


	14. camping

"I don't know why you're being so cranky," Sonny said, as he sat down on the log next to Isabella. "We've only been here for three hours, Iz. Why do you want to go home already, before we've gone and had some fun?" 

She scowled, "It's nature, Sonny," she reminded him. "You know how I feel about nature and bugs, yet you took me upstate to go  _camping..."_

He rolled his eyes, "Iz, can't you just enjoy a long weekend away from the kids?" he asked, checking on the fire pit. "We're alone, without two kids, for the first time since.. what? The night you got pregnant with Lina?" 

"Yeah, but it's summertime," Isabella said, swatting at the mosquitos that flew around them. "It smells out here like the lake, there's bugs all over the place and it's muggy." 

"I figured we'd try somethin' new," Sonny said, looking a bit upset at how negative she was being. "I mean, my parents have the girls for the weekend, so that we can do this. Two and a half days together, without havin' to change diapers and deal with temper tantrums.." 

It had been an entire month, since their trip to Fire Island; an entire month of Sonny working various shifts, both day and overnight, with one day off a week. By the middle of July, having missed spending more than a day with his wife and children, Sonny was looking for a way to cut back a little bit. Seeing the impact his absence was having on his kids, but most importantly his wife, Sonny went to Liv and hashed out a new schedule. 

_"I can't keep leavin' Iz with two toddlers all day, by herself, Liv. I need a day or two, when I can come home early enough to help out, gettin' them fed and into bed before eight. And the weekends... I know everyone has kids, but..."_

_"Oh god, take the weekends off and I'll work out a new rotation schedule to get you out of here one or two days early,"_ Liv scoffed, as a smirk threatened to pull at her lips. " _We've got a bunch of newbies who need to do their share of the work here. I'll figure it out, Carisi. Why don't you take a long weekend with Iz and leave the kids with their grandparents? That way, I won't have to face the wrath of your wife, if she comes in here screaming and yelling."_

That night, Sonny called his parents for help, only to end the call with a reservation for a camping spot. Flash forward to that Friday, Sonny was home before three-thirty, packed the car with two kids, duffle bags and a cranky wife. Dropping them off at the Carisi household on Staten Island, Sonny replaced the car seats with a tent and various other camping materials and they were off. 

"How safe is that thing anyways?" Isabella asked, nodding her head towards the tent behind them. "Like.. will it keep out bears and bugs?" 

"I made sure to keep the thing zipped shut," Sonny promised. "We'll be safe out here, Iz. There's other campers around, so it's not like we're in the middle of nowhere.." 

She shuddered, "Do you think the girls even miss us?" 

Sonny snorted, "I'm sure they're havin' a lot of fun, eatin' like queens and playing with their cousins," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "They're goin' to be fine, Iz. Carina and Lina were more than ready to kick us to the curb, as soon as Ma said "meatballs," as we got to the front door." 

"I don't want to be eaten by a bear, Sonny," Isabella pouted. "What if Carina and Evelina forget about us? Their loving parents, who went camping and were eaten by a bear." 

"Babe, relax," Sonny chuckled, shaking his head. "How about, we put somethin' together for dinner? Pop packed all this stuff to cook with, and I went grocery shoppin' last night before I got home. I can make us a couple of hot dogs over the camp fire, and we can lay down in the tent afterwards.." 

Isabella nodded, "Did you at least get anything to make s'mores?"she asked, as Sonny stood up. 

"Duh," Sonny scoffed. "I'm not that much of an idiot, Iz. Take you to the woods without chocolate? That's a worser date with death, than encountering a bear!" 

................

"Are you sure this thing is stable?" Isabella asked, as she and Sonny cuddled up in the tent. "What if it rains?" 

"Well, we're on high ground, so we won't flood here," Sonny started, as Isabella pulled the blanket up to cover her. "And, I put a special tarp down first, before I set the tent up. That way, the rainwater doesn't seep under the tent and turn this thing into a pool." 

Isabella sighed, "I can't believe you and your family found camping to be.. fun," she finally said, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "You don't seem like the camping type, Sonny." 

Outside, the crickets chirped and the leaves of the trees rustled, as a light breeze came off the lake nearby. A lone owl, hooted in the distance, which made Isabella jump. "Fucking birds," she hissed, as Sonny chuckled. 

"We're safe in here," he reminded her, for what felt like the hundredth time. "I won't let anythin' get ya, baby."

"What if someone tries to jack the truck?" she asked, looking up at him. "Or break into the tent and steal our shit?" 

Sonny sighed, "Iz, relax," he said, giving her waist a squeeze. "You wanna have sex, that way you'll calm down and fall asleep?" 

Isabelle kicked his shins, scowling up at him. "Don't be an ass, Dominick," she hissed, as he anchored her legs down with one of his own. "Sex out here in the wild? Just what I need! Easy access for bugs to crawl up in there and lay their eggs, turning me into a walking bug dispensary.." 

"Jesus, Iz, that's disgusting!" he scowled, shaking his head. "All ya have to do is pull your panties to the side. No one said anythin' about takin' them off all the way.." 

"If you wanted to have sex, we could've stayed home," Isabella pointed out, as Sonny's hands crept down to the waistband of her pants. "I mean, really. It would've spared us the long car ride out of the city and watching you struggle with the tent." 

He kissed along her jaw, "Yeah, but you did get a kick out of it," he said. "I heard you snortin' over there by the car, sayin' it was what I deserved.." 

One hand dipped into the back of her pants, while the other went up her shirt. "Hmm," Isabella groaned, his hands caressing her. "Okay, we can have sex." 

"Good," he grinned, pressing his lips against hers. "Let's just turned this off.." 

"Why?" Isabella asked, as he reached over her to turn the battery-operated lantern off. "You're gonna fuck me in total darkness?" 

Sonny moved back to hover above her, "We do it at home," he pointed out, as he grasped the sides of her sleep pants. "And I'm fuckin' you under the stars, baby. If that's not romantic enough, than I don't know what to tell ya." 

..................

The next morning, they woke up a little after eight, opting to eat cereal inside their tent. Using wipes, Isabella washed up after the night before, before getting dressed. 

"Come with me to go pee," she pouted, moving to the front of the tent. 

"Really?" Sonny asked, getting up to put pants on. "You need a chaperone to the bathroom?" 

Isabella pouted, "C'mon, Sonny," she whined, stomping her foot. "If you come with me, I'll do whatever you want today." 

Sold on the promise of having Isabella doing whatever he wanted, Sonny quickly pulled on a pair of shoes and went with her to the communal bathroom; waiting just outside for her. Once they both used the bathroom, they went back to their tent and dressed properly for the day. Packing a backpack with water, snacks, sunscreen and a first aid kit, they both took off for a hike. 

"Wow," Isabella gasped, as they reached a cliff, overlooking Indian Lake. "You don't see that everyday." 

Taking a seat on the rocks, Isabella pulled her knees up to her chest and looked out at the distance; the wide expanse of water, followed by mountains in the distance; covered by pine and oak trees. Sitting nearby, Sonny pulled out his camera and started taking pictures of the scenery before them, before turning the camera on his wife. 

"Don't be shy," Sonny chuckled, when she spotted him taking pictures of her; the blush rising on her face. 

"I look disgusting, Sonny," she pouted, as he continued to snap away. "My hair is greasy and I don't have any makeup on." 

Sonny lowered the camera a bit, "So?" he asked. "You look beautiful. You don't need makeup or havin' your hair all done, just to take a picture." 

Isabella moved closer to his side, "If you say so," she sighed, looking down at the view finder on the camera. "I'm sure you'll edit them anyways, once we go home." 

"Nah, I don't have to," he shrugged, taking his phone out of the backpack. "Wanna take a picture with me and send it to the kids?" 

"Carina will be sadly disappointed to see that we haven't found her a bunny rabbit," she sighed, moving closer to him. "Why she wants one, I'll never understand." 

Taking the picture, Sonny quickly sent it to Angela, before storing the  phone back into his bag. "Wanna head down by the lake for a little while? Then we can come back to the tent, have lunch and relax..." 

Nodding, Sonny slipped the backpack on his back and helped her up, taking hold of her hand and they went back the way they came. They spent the morning and early afternoon, walking along the shore of the lake and taking photos along the way. When rainclouds rolled in, along with the wind, they quickly rushed back to their tent. Sonny had zipped the tent shut behind them, when the skies opened up and a downpour began. 

"Well," he sighed, moving to set the backpack down on the ground. "We made it." 

A crack of thunder echoed off the lake and mountains surrounding them, making Isabella yelp. "We're going to die out here!" she cried, burrowing under the blankets and sleeping bags upon their air mattress.

"We're not gonna die, Iz," Sonny snorted, moving to lay down next to her. "I put the rain tarp over the tent early this mornin' and we're not under or near any trees..." 

Isabella whimpered, covering her ears, as she hid. Chuckling, Sonny wrapped his arm around the mass of blankets, while listening to the storm blowing through. "It'll be over soon," he promised. "Just try to take a nap in the mean time, baby. I'm not goin' anywhere." 

...............

"MOMMY, MOMMY!" Carina screeched, as the front door opened. "DADDY!!!" 

Sonny chuckled, as Carina threw herself at them, her little arms wrapping around their legs. "Whoa, who's this little girl?" he teased, picking her up. "Looks like a pack of markers attacked ya." 

Isabella smiled as Evelina was handed over to her, kissing her face. "Hi, sweetheart," she cooed, as Evelina giggled. "Mommy missed you so much!" 

"I colored while Grandma maked dinner," Carina said, as Sonny went over to the sofa. "We're eating noodles, meatsballs and breads." 

Angela snorted, "Stuffed shells, meatballs and my homemade Italian bread," she confirmed. "And, if everyone eats their dinner, we're havin' ice cream!" 

"Ice!" Evelina squealed, bopping her feet against Isabella's ribcage. "Ice!" 

"We're still sleeping over, right?" Carina asked, frowning. "I wants to eat ice cream with Grandma." 

Sonny nodded, "We're spendin' the night here," he said, putting on a dramatic yawn. "Daddy drove all the way from the woods to see you, Rina. He's very, very sleepy." 

Carina giggled, laying her hands against his face. "You're all scratchy," she squeaked, her fingers rubbing against the two day old stubble. "Bear kisses!" 

"Daddy will have to shave tomorrow night," Isabella snickered. "Otherwise, Zia Olivia and Zia Amanda will tease Daddy." 

"Zio Rafael has scratchy face too!" the four year old nodded. "I talkeded to Zia Olivia and seen Zio Rafael.." 

Frowning, Sonny looked to his Mother, who sighed. "Olivia called Friday night to see if we had heard from you two," she said. "Facetime, so that the girls could talk to her and the others. Rafael was stopping by to pick up something, and talked to the girls for a few minutes." 

The little girl nodded, "Can we get Daddy a juicy, Grandma?" she asked, turning to look at Angela. "Pweaseeeeee??" 

"Show me where the juices are, Rina," Sonny said, setting her down on the floor. 

As they disappeared into the kitchen, Isabella shifted Evelina from one hip to the other, before sitting down on the sofa. "So," Angela started, sitting down in the arm chair. "How was it?" 

"It was...." Isabella drifted off, smiling as Evelina giggled. "It was nice. Different for me, since my family didn't do the camping thing when I was younger. But it was nice, being up there with Sonny for the weekend." 

Angela nodded, smiling at her. "Good," she said. "You two needed a little break, between work and the kids. And Dom and I love havin' them here, so whenever you need time alone..." 

"Oh, we will," Isabella snorted. "But, I think next time we go camping, we'd like everyone to go. Especially Maman, just to watch her go into panic mode without having a proper bathroom." 

"Daddy, drink the pink one!" Carina exclaimed from the kitchen. "I pickidid myselfs!" 

Sighing, Isabella kissed Evelina's forehead. "I'm gonna take a quick shower so I can wash the smell of nature and bug spray off me.." she announced. "I feel disgusting.." 

"I'll put a movie on for the girls" her mother-in-law said, moving to get the television on. "Dinner won't be ready for a while, so I'll put somethin' together for you and Sonny." 

Putting Evelina down on the activity mat near the coffee table, Isabella made her way upstairs, as Sonny and Carina made their way back into the living room. "Where's Iz?" Sonny asked, as Carina rushed ahead to sit next to her sister.

"Takin' a shower," Angela replied, putting on another Disney movie for the kids. "Go wash up and I'll make somethin' for the two of ya to eat. Dinner just went into the oven.." 

'You're lettin' me take a shower with my wife, in your house?" Sonny teased. "Wow, Ma." 

Angela rolled her eyes, "Go before I make you two sleep in separate rooms," she warned, watching as her son started up the staircase. "And don't use all the hot water!" 

"Be good for Grandma, girls!" Sonny called out. "We'll be down in a little bit!" 

 


	15. guess who's coming to dinner.

Isabella smoothed down the front of her dress, as she stood on the front steps of Sonny's childhood home for the first time. Next to her, Sonny waited until she was done fidgeting, before asking if she was ready. 

"Don't worry," he said, knocking on the door. "My parents will love ya, Iz. Even my sisters..." 

"I've never done this before," she whispered, hearing the overly loud voices of Sonny's family in the house. "Meeting a boyfriend's parents. I've never had a boyfriend long enough to get to this stage of the relationship." 

Taking her hand into his, Sonny squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. "Just breathe," he nodded. "You're goin' to be great, doll. They're so excited to meet ya, since all I do is talk about ya on the phone." 

The front door opened at that moment, as and older woman with greying blonde hair stood before them. "Ah! Sonny!" she cried, pushing the screen door open for them. "Look at ya, sweetheart! Lookin' so handsome!" 

"Ma!" Sonny whined, as the shorter woman pulled him down to kiss his cheeks. "Don't embarrass me!" 

"I can do what I please," she insisted, before turning her attention to Isabella. "Dear god, Sonny! Is this Isabella?" 

Isabella gave her a nervous smile, feeling her face heat up with a blush. "She's  _gorgeous!"_ Angela exclaimed, taking Isabella by the hands, holding her arms out to give her the full inspection. She then looked at Isabella and gave her a warm, welcoming smile. "I'm Angela," she said, moving forward to give the young girl a hug. "Sonny doesn't stop yappin' about ya, whenever he decides we're worthy enough for a phone call." 

"Oh, I hope it's all good things," Isabella said, a nervous peal of giggles escaping her. 

"All good," Angela promised. "Now, I have food cookin' right now, but I did put together somethin' for us to nibble on. Do you want somethin' to drink, dear? We've got wine, beer, cola..." 

Sonny moved to stand behind Isabella, "Ma, we'll get it," he said, placing his hands on Isabella's waist. "Don't overwhelm her! She hasn't even met Pop yet, or the three wicked sisters." 

"I HEARD THAT!" 

His mother sighed, rolling her eyes. "That's Regina," she informed Isabella. "Don't look so petrified, dear. They're all bark but no bite, my girls. Sonny's talked so much about you the last two or three times he's called us." 

A tall blonde woman came out of the kitchen, holding a toddler on her hip. "Ma, what's the hol-oh!" she gasped, her eyes settling on Isabella. "You must be Isabella!" 

"Yes, that's- yes, I'm Isabella," Isabella nodded, feeling anxious already. 

"I'm Bella," the other woman smiled. "This is my daughter, Tori. Tori, can you say "hi" to Uncle Sonny and his girlfriend?" 

The toddler beamed at the sight of Sonny, drooling on the fingers that were in her mouth. "Well, don't just stand there," Bella snickered. "Come meet the rest of the family, Izzie!" 

Angela followed her daughter and granddaughter back into the kitchen, leaving Isabella and Sonny by the front door. Giving her waist a squeeze, Sonny pressed a kiss against her temple. "If they become too much, I'll tell 'em to simmer down," he promised, as she looked up at him. "They already know I'm head over heels for ya, Iz. Ain't nothin' they can say, that'll make me change my mind about us." 

"Okay," Isabella nodded, her stomach clenching with nerves. 

"I love you." 

She gave him a small smile, patting the hand that rested on her waist. "I love you, too," she said softly, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "We should go in there, before they send a search party out..." 

Taking her hand in his, Sonny gave her a reassuring smile and led her towards the kitchen. 

.....................

After meeting the remainder of Sonny's immediate family members, they were settling down around the Carisi dining room table for dinner. A full Italian dinner had been made, from pasta to various meats, all set up in serving dishes. They said grace before passing bowls and plates around, which was a bit different for Isabella; luckily, she knew what to say, having seen her Nonna bless the family and herself at the dinner table throughout her life. 

Once everyone had food on their plates, the questioning began. 

"So, Sonny said you're a school teacher," Teresa started, picking up her glass of wine. "What do you teach?" 

"You met at a bookstore?" Bella asked, smiling at the couple. "That's totally romantic! Isn't that romantic, Tommy?" 

"How long, _exactly_ , have you two been goin' out?" 

"Can you pass me the butter, Bells?" 

Isabella answered each question calmly, even though she felt like a war was raging on inside her. Her stomach twisted up into knots, and her hands were sweaty, as she gripped the fork and knife in her hand. 

When Sonny spoke, Isabella looked to him, and felt herself at ease; it was all so new to her, having a boyfriend and meeting his family. Having someone, other than her parents, talk about how amazing she was and looking at her with love in their eyes, instead of disgust. 

"And we've been inseparable ever since," Sonny said, breaking Isabella out of her daydream. "Right, babe?" 

"Hmm?" she blinked, before blushing at his knowing smirk. "Oh, yes! I can't get rid of him, no matter what I do!" 

Dominick exchanged glances with Angela, who sat at the other end of the table, each wearing a knowing smile. "Well, "he cleared his throat. "This is the first time Sonny's brought a girl home to meet the family.." 

Sonny blushed, which made Isabella giggle. "Yeah, since we kinda knew every girl he was interested in, back when he was a kid," Gina snorted. "We used to scare them off!" 

"Regina Anne," Angela warned, giving her daughter a knowing look. 

"What my sister is _tryin_ ' to say, which will come as a shock, is that we like ya," Bella nodded. "We haven't seen Sonny this happy in like...ever. I mean, unless you consider his love for cannoli's and the Mets to be in the same field with datin'." 

Everyone chuckled, as it was Sonny's turn to be embarrassed by the family, which made Isabella laugh as well; the first time in the last two hours, in which it came out naturally and not so forced. Clearing the table, the Carisi girls pulled Isabella into the living room to show off Sonny's pictures, while Dominick took his son outside for a "talk", which made Angela snort. 

"Don't overwhelm him, Dom," she warned, as her husband grabbed his jacket from the closet. "He really seems happy with this girl." 

"I won't, Angie," he insisted, waving his hand at her. "Just... make sure the girls don't devour the poor girl in there." 

............

"I'm so head over heels in love with her, Pop," Sonny said, as they sat outside. "She's amazin'. She's super smart and she's so funny, even when she's not even tryin' to be..." 

Dominick watched as his son babbled about the woman inside the house, seeing the joy on his face as he spoke about her. "I've never met anyone like her, ya know?" Sonny finally said. "I mean, the fact that she's even datin' me is a miracle." 

"Why would it take a miracle to date ya, Son?" Dominick frowned. "I mean, sure.. you do require a lot of prep to get ready in the mornin', but that's nothin! You're a good lookin' young man, Sonny. I would know, since you're my kid!" 

"It's just...you know what it was like when I was a kid," he shrugged. "I was the nerd, who was so scrawny and didn't fit in with the crowd. Girls didn't even look my way and if they did, it was either to get me to do their homework. Or be set up for another prank...." 

His father shrugged, "Well, based on what I've heard tonight, she seems just as nerdy as you," he said. "And the way she looks at ya? Kid, she looks at you as if you were God himself." 

Sonny looked down at his hands and smiled lightly, "She's... she's been through a lot, Pop," he said quietly. "I'm like.. her first real boyfriend.." 

"What? Like... in a year or so?" Dominick frowned. 

"No.. like ever," Sonny shrugged lightly. "What I tell you, you can't tell Bella, Teresa or Gina. Even Ma for that matter, though I don't think she'll go runnin' off to tell everyone. I mean.. I shouldn't be tellin' you at all, since it's not my business to tell. But.. I think it would explain a lot and I could use some advice..." 

Dominick nodded, "It's between us," he promised. "I swear on Nonna's grave, Sonny." 

So he spilled, telling Dominick about Isabella's past; the rape and recovery, being one of Liv and Fin's old cases from. The first time they met, to the first few months of dating; from the awkwardness and full coverage clothing, to their first time together just a month previously. 

"I mean, now she wants it all the time," Sonny said. I've seen so many victims at work, who shudder at the idea of havin' physical relationships after bein' violated. And we're talkin' about people who've gone on longer than Iz, without datin' or having intimate relations with others.." 

"Sonny," Dominick stopped him, holding his hand up. "Did you ever think that maybe it's because you make her feel safe? Or that you make her feel loved and you look at her like she's the most precious thing in the world?" 

Sonny shrugged, "I mean, yeah," he said. "But, I don't want her to think that she  _has_ to have sex with me. I mean, I'm fine with just sleeping next to her most nights." 

His father nodded, "I guess people have different experiences," he finalized. "I mean, she went all these years without bein' with anyone. You walk into her life, and for the first time , she see's that you're different from all the other guys out there. Your Mother and I raised you to respect women, Sonny. Not to treat them like pieces of meat and that they owe  _you_ somethin', just because you took them out to dinner or whatever.." 

He watched as Sonny took in what he said, nodding slowly to himself. "You love her?" Dominick asked. 

"Yeah, Pop," Sonny nodded. "She's without a doubt, the love of my life. When I look at her, I can see myself marryin' her and havin' a family with her." 

"Well," Dominick whistled, chuckling. "I can tell ya this, Sonny. I like the girl." 

This brightened Sonny's mood quickly, "You do?" he asked, perking up like a puppy. 

Sonny nodded, "She's a strong girl, your Isabella," he continued. "To survive all of that and open her heart up to ya, to feel comfortable enough to be with you in so many different ways. That's a  big deal, Sonny. Don't ever take that for granted, you hear me? It takes a lot for someone, who's suffered a trauma like that, to open up to people." 

"I know," Sonny agreed. "I thank God every day, for bringin' her into my life, Pop. I don't know what I did, to deserve her." 

Dominick shrugged,"Maybe he saw that it was time for you to settle down," he said. "She's a beauty and she managed to survive that interrogation, your sisters pulled on her. Anyone who can do that, is fine in my book."

"She was so nervous, comin' out here to meet you guys," Sonny snorted, shaking his head. "I had to bribe her, so I'm goin' to the Central Park Zoo next weekend."

"Ah, might as well get used to goin' to places like that," his father shrugged. "If you two do end up gettin' married and havin' kids with Iz, you're gonna be in for a lifetime of zoo trips and god know's what.." 

Standing up, they both headed into the house, hearing the commotion in the living room. 

"And this was Sonny when he graduated from the Academy," Angela said, as Isabella sat in the middle of the sofa. "Such a big day for our boy..." 

"I'm so used to seeing him wearing suits," Isabella laughed. "Makes you forget that they start off, wearing the police uniform early on.." 

Sonny leaned against the back of the couch, peering over Isabella's shoulder to see the pictures; a younger Sonny, fresh out of the police academy, still scrawny as ever. 

"God, Ma," he snorted, startling his girlfriend. "Did she show you the naked baby pictures yet?" 

"I  _might've_ seen a naked baby," she giggled, as he leaned down to kiss her. "You were a cute kid, Sonny. Probably cuter than the kids I teach, which is stiff competition.." 

His sisters snickered, which made him roll his eyes, as he hopped over the back of the couch. "I highly doubt that," he said, reaching for the photo album. "Jesus, how many photos to do you plan on showin' her, Ma? Is this my entire life, thus far, in one book?" 

Angela shrugged, "I've been waitin' a long time for this," she shrugged. "I'm sure Isabella's mother did the same thing.." 

"Actually," Isabella winced. "I haven't brought him to meet my parents yet.." 

"Oohhhh, shit," Teresa snickered. 

Sonny gave her the finger, "Sonny!" Isabella yelped, nudging him with her elbow, before turning back to Angela. "I wanted to meet you guys first, before I brought Sonny home. My Mother can be quite..." 

"She's French," Sonny shrugged, as if it was the answer to everything when it came to Noelle Palladino. 

"Yes, she's French," Isabella said, scowling at Sonny. "She's from France and tends to be.. snooty about things. But, once she gets to know you, she's really nice. Very embarrassing and overprotective, but it's the French in her. My Dad's the Italian and he gets along with almost anyone, so Sonny doesn't have too much to worry about.." 

The Carisi matriarch nodded, "Well, I'm sure Sonny will have his own taste of the "meeting my girlfriends parents" nerves," she shrugged. "And I'm sure it'll go smoothly, dear. We only found out about you a month ago, but I can see why Sonny waited so long for us to meet you." 

Isabella blushed, leaning against Sonny's side, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Well, I'm glad he finally took you out of hiding," Regina shrugged. "It's cute, seein' our baby bro so in love. Now, we can tease him all we like." 

"Gina, knock it off," Sonny groaned, as his sisters giggled. 

"Payback's a bitch," Bella shrugged, as she gave Tommy a knowing look. "Well, we should have cake. It's almost Tori's bedtime and I'm sure Sonny and Iz want to get out of here to catch the ferry." 

Looking down at his watch, Dominick nodded. "I'll start the coffee," he said, standing up from the arm chair. "Girls, help ya mother with the plates." 

.............

Dominick and Angela Carisi stood on the front steps of their house, watching as Sonny and Isabella made their way down the pathway to Gina's car. 

"Our boy has a girlfriend," Angela said, as Dominick wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "He's in love." 

"He's in love," Dominick confirmed, chuckling as the couple laughed with Gina and Teresa. "I like her, Angie. She makes our boy happy, which is always good in my book." 

After cake and coffee, Sonny suggested they call it a night and head back into the city. " _I'm helpin' Iz put together another bookshelf in her apartment,"_ he snorted. " _At the rate she's goin', she'll have to sell her bed and put bookcases in the bedroom."_

Offering to drive them to the ferry, Gina quickly ran upstairs to get her keys, while Angela packed them a take home bag. Making them promise to come again soon, for Sunday dinner or whenever they were free, Sonny and Isabella grabbed their things and started for the door. The hugs and kisses goodbye, along with the "It was so lovely to meet you," and everything else, took about fifteen minutes, before Gina reminded them about the ferry. 

"Bye Ma! Bye Pop!" Sonny shouted, as he opened the car door for Isabella. 

"Call us, Sonny!" Angela yelled, which made him laugh. "I MEAN IT!" 

Isabella waved goodbye to them, all smiles, as Sonny set the bag of food into the car. "Look at them," Angie sighed, smiling at the couple. "They're beautiful together, Dom. They're gonna make such beautiful grand babies." 

He looked down at his wife, "So, you think she's the one?" he asked, surprised at his wife's comment. 

"If he doesn't marry her, I'll go after him with the wooden spoon," she said. "He's goin' to marry her, Dom. I can feel it in my bones. Those two are made for one another." 

"Should be place our bets now or later? he teased, as the car pulled away from the curb; two honks, signaling a goodbye, as the older couple waved from the front steps. 

"I give it a year," Angela said, turning to look up at her husband. "A year from now, we'll be gettin' a phone call from the two of them, lettin' us know they're gettin' married." 

Dominick shrugged, "Alright," he agreed, as he held the door open for his wife.  "A year." 

 


	16. Holiday Parties

Isabella watched with amusement, as Sonny and Rafael had debate before her, testing one another's patience with each friendly jab. All around them, the detectives of Manhattan's SVU, were dressed down for a night of fun, as the precinct had been decked to the nines with Christmas decorations. It almost rivaled her own apartment, which had been bombed with christmas lights, stockings and whatever Sonny dug out of their hall closet a week before. It was the annual Christmas party at Manhattan's sixteenth precinct, a conclusion to the busy work week; several cases and two appearances in court, Sonny was ready to have the weekend at home with Isabella and the kids. 

"Here," Amanda saddled up next to her, handing her a beer. "I don't know how you can watch this sober, Iz. They're both so...." 

"Cocky?" Isabella offered, taking the bottle. "Ah, I'm so used to hearing Sonny go on and on, especially with the girls. It wouldn't be my Sonny, if he didn't go on these rants about god knows what.." 

They leaned against the desks, watching the men go, their heads moving between the two like a ping pong match. "Look, as much as I love to quarrel with you over cases," Rafael finally sighed. "It's a Christmas party, Carisi. Can't we just put work aside and enjoy a little normalcy here?" 

"Here, here!" Amanda cheered, raising her beer in the air. "Seriously, we deal with this all day. Can't we put it aside and have some fun?" 

Isabella snickered, "Sonny, you've got plenty of time on Monday to drive Rafael crazy," she said, holding her hand out to him. "Remember? You boys have a date in the courthouse, putting scummy bastards behind bars for life." 

Sonny nodded, "Just wait until you hear 'bout it over dinner," he teased, moving to sit on his desk. "It'll be a highlight come Christmas, when we head out to my parents for the day." 

"Shit, I have to figure out what to make for that!" Isabella whined, throwing her head back in despair. "I haven't cooked or baked anything since October! I made those cupcakes for Carina, Evelina and their friends for the Halloween party. After that, I was done!" 

"Yeah well... I would be done too, if i was eight months pregnant and baking cupcakes for a bunch of five and two year olds..." Amanda snorted, taking a sip of her beer. "I don't know how you find the energy to do any of that, Iz." 

Sonny snickered, "That's because she wants to do cutesy things," he said. "Be the cool mom on the block and at Carina's school.." 

"So, did you two finish all your Christmas shopping?" Rafael asked, changing the subject, as he sipped his scotch. "I heard from the grapevine, that somebody wants a bike..." 

"Yeah, Carina's been begging us for months now," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "Her best friend has a bicycle, which means that Carina must have one too...." 

Her husband nodded, "Tried to talk her out of it," he shrugged. "But she refused to budge, so we got her a small one to start with. Ya know, with the trainin' wheels and everythin'..." 

Amanda chuckled, "What about the other two?" she asked. "I mean, Siena's only a few weeks old..." 

"We got some clothes and a few pacifiers and stuff"" Sonny shrugged. "My parents and Iz's are the ones that go nuts for Christmas, though. The amount of stuff Iz and I had to research, just to make sure it was age appropriate and child friendly? How we're gonna fit it all in the car, is beyond me. Ma's gettin' them one of those kitchen sets, in hopes that it'll encourage the desire to learn how to cook." 

"And Maman is just as bad," Isabella shook her head. "I had to talk her out of getting one of those child size cars for Carina and Evelina. We live in Queens for fuck's sake! And they're not going to be able to drive that thing around in the apartment, especially since we haven't unpacked much.  

Moving into their new home, two weeks before Siena's birth, they were still in the process of unpacking. With more bedrooms, came more space. And more space came with decoratinc, which had been put on hold until late spring. With their former home having two bedrooms, it had grown cramped. Especially with three children; their first home together, before marriage and babies, which had been a perfect fit for them, Carina and Evelina. But when the pregnancy test came back positive for third time, back in February that year, they knew it was time to pack up and move on. 

"Well, I hope you're alright with getting gift cards and little cutesy stuff from Jessie and me," Amanda said. "I figured I'd let ya'll pick out what to get them, instead of bein' the bad guy, buyin' all this big shit." 

"Yeah, I did the same," Rafael nodded. "I did get them candy though, since I take joy in hearing about your chaotic nighttime routine with Carina and Lina..." 

Sonny scowled, "You would," he shook his head, as the ADA laughed. "One day, I'm gonna send them to you, Barba." 

The older man shook his head, "I'll take Carina, since she's the only one, besides Isabella, that can speak Spanish," he said. "Plus, she enjoys eating all the food my mother makes.." 

"She's been asking about Lucia's rice dish again," Isabella admitted. "Maybe you guys can come to our place for dinner, after the holidays!" 

"Kid likes it better than my own cookin'," Sonny shook his head, as Isabella's phone beeped with an incoming text. "I don't do Cuban food well, Barba. What have you done to my kids?" 

Checking her phone, Isabella smiled, as a picture of three little girls loaded; Carina and Evelina were dressed in pajamas, sitting on the sofa with popcorn, while little Siena slept in her swing chair. Amanda peered over her shoulder and gasped, pouting at how cute the trio were. 

"Makes me miss the days when Jessie was little," she sighed, as Isabella handed her cellphone over to Sonny. "Then, I remember the endless nights of no sleep, dirty diapers and breastfeedin' and suddenly, I'm over it." 

"Yeah well.." Isabella shook her head, as Sonny showed off the picture. "It's our first night away from them, since we brought Sienna home from the hospital. I was pretty nervous, leaving her at my parents house since she's so little.." 

Born only two weeks before Thanksgiving and two days after Evelina's third birthday, Siena Grace was another surprise baby for Sonny and Isabella. A relatively quick and easy labor and delivery, she was born a two weeks before her official due date; the day after Thanksgiving originally, which made Thanksgiving planning difficult. But she was a happy newborn, crying only when her diaper was soiled or when she was hungry. But throughout the day, she napped in her swing chair or cozied up with Daddy or Mommy.

"She's gotten so big in the last six weeks though," Rafael mused, shaking his head. "She was so tiny, compared to Carina and Evelina..." 

"Thank god," Isabella snorted, as Fin and Olivia made their way over to them. "Could you imagine if she stayed in there until her due date? She probably would've been ten fucking pounds. I would still be at home resting and not here, enjoying my first night of freedom with my husband and my friends." 

"She acts like she's so deprived," Sonny teased. "We've had plenty of date nights before Siena was born, Iz. We sent the girls off to their grandparents, as often as we could.." 

Fin chuckled, "Yeah, but it's different when you're pregnant," he shrugged. "You're still not baby free at that point..." 

The women nodded in agreement, "It's just nice, not having to worry about who's going to feed the baby when she wakes up," Isabella shrugged. "Now, Maman has to deal with it until tomorrow afternoon.." 

"You're not getting them in the morning?" Liv asked. "I'm shocked. Usually Sonny's up and ready to get them by seven-thirty in the morning." 

"Nah," Sonny shook his head. "We're gonna sleep in a bit, then head out to do some errands. Besides, Frenchie's always talkin' about wantin' to keep the girls for the day, so she's gettin' her Christmas wish.." 

Isabella giggled. "They'll be fine," she shrugged. "Dad's makin' a big breakfast for them and they're going to Target, which is a big deal for Carina. She's supposedly getting Christmas presents for us, so it's a big ordeal.." 

"Man, those girls have it made," Fin whistled. "Can't remember the last time I woke up to a home cooked breakfast.." 

They chatted a bit more, before dispersing around the room, chatting with other co-workers. Isabella sighed, leaning into Sonny's side, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Wanna head out soon?" he asked, as she looked around the room. "It's still early enough that we can get some dinner and watch a movie at home.. 

"Sure," she nodded, looking up at him. "I'm sure you wanna get out of here, considering you've been working all week like crazy..." 

"Well, paternity leave only lasts for so long," he reminded her. "With Carina, it was different. Eight weeks was great, as was the eight weeks after Evelina. But... this time around.." 

She nodded, "I know," she said, patting his thigh with her hand. "Sucks giving birth during the school year," she sighed. "Thank god I saved up all those sick days and personal days saved up, before we even got pregnant..." 

Sonny chuckled, "Yeah, thank god for that," he agreed, nodding. "Let's pray you don't get pregnant again for a long while, that way you have enough personal and sick days to cash in..." 

"Better pray real hard, Sonny," Isabella teased. "Because somehow, I'm getting pregnant while on the pill. So either they're faulty, or you've got super sperm..." 

They hung around for another hour, before calling it a night, citing exhaustion and a busy day ahead of them. Grabbing their coats and Isabella's purse from his desk drawer, Sonny led his wife to the elevator and they took the trip down to the main floor. Stepping out into the chilly December air, they began their trek to the subway that would take them home. 

...........

The tree lights twinkled near the living room window, as Sonny and Isabella lounged on the sofa; a Christmas comedy on the television, as a box of pizza sat on the coffee table. Just a little after ten, they were both shot from the day; tending three children for Isabella and a twelve hour work day for Sonny. After grabbing dinner to go, they took turns showering and dressing in their pajamas, before calling Noelle to check on the girls. 

" _Sienna's already asleep,"_ she reported, as Carina and Evelina giggled in the background. " _Your Father is reading the other two a story and trying to wind them down for bed. Do you want to say goodnight to them?"_

Putting them on speaking, Isabella and Sonny spoke to Carina and Evelina, wishing them a good night's worth of sleep. Promises of watching princess movies and eating ice cream tomorrow, they both ended the call with a reminder that they would be home tomorrow afternoon. Settling in with their dinner, they enjoyed the last few hours of their night alone, before going back to chasing two little girls to bed and tending to a newborn.

As the credits rolled on the screen, Sonny looked down at his watch and sighed. "We should head to bed," he noted, as Isabella stretched her legs out on the sofa. "We've got a big day tomorrow, before the girls come home. 

"Kay," she yawned, sitting up slowly. 

Collecting the trash, Sonny chucked the pizza box into the garbage pail with the paper plates and napkins. Turning the television off, Isabella unplugged the Christmas tree, while Sonny checked the sliding door and the front door of the apartment. 

"Alright, off to bed with ya," Sonny chuckled, laying his hands on her shoulders; he ushered her down the hallway to their bedroom, which were cat free; Harry and Leia had taken over Carina and Evelina's beds, since the girls were away for the night. Older now, the furry sibling duo, had adjusted well with the arrival of three babies in the last five years. 

Taking turns in the bathroom, they climbed under the blankets and curled up next to each other; Isabella's head on his chest, while his arm wrapped around her waist. "I had fun tonight," Isabella mumbled. "Being out with you and seeing our friends, since the last time I saw all of them together, was at the hospital..." 

"We'll have to do somethin' for New Year's," Sonny said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Maybe have somethin' here, so they can come and go during breaks or whatever..." 

"New Year's with two crazy kids and a newborn," she snorted. "They'll get a kick out of that, since we'll have to keep the noise level down for Sienna." 

Sonny yawned, "We'll figure it out," he mumbled, shifting against the mattress and pillows. "Always do." 

 

 


	17. where's the fire?

"Iz... Iz, slow down," Sonny said, as he held Isabella in place with his hands on her hips. "Isabella..." 

Isabella moaned, capturing his lips with her own, while her fingers ran through his once perfectly coiffed hair; now disheveled from the moment he stepped foot into her apartment, tackled against the front door by a more than eager girlfriend. Stripped from the "borrowed' Fordham law shirt, Isabella was straddling his lap wearing nothing but a pair of lace panties. 

"Babe.." Sonny gasped, as Isabella rubbed against his crotch; " _Jesus_.." 

"Shhhh," Isabella giggled, pressing a trail of kisses alongside his jaw. Gone already was his tie, as her fingers made quick work to unbutton his dress shirt. "I've missed you, Sonny. Waited for you all day, just to be with you..." 

He groaned as her hands pulled the undershirt out from his dress pants, her nails lightly dragging across his abdomen and up to his chest. "I missed you too," he said, which earned him a happy groan as she moved from his jaw to his neck. "But... where's the fire?" 

She lifted her head up and frowned, "What?" she asked, as Sonny's hands remained on her lace clad hips. 

"Well, I mean..." Sonny shrugged. "Why are we rushin'? Don't you want to.. I don't know, talk?" 

"Talk," Isabella repeated, staring straight at him. 

Sonny nodded, "Yeah," he said quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I mean.. what did you do today? Did you have a great day at work?" 

Isabella gave him a half shrug, looking own at the exposed sliver of flesh between the waistband of his pants and his undershirt. "Hey," Sonny frowned, lifting her chin up with his hand. "Why the face?" 

"Do.. do you not want to sleep with me?" she asked, sounding a bit lost and upset. "Did I do something wrong?" 

"No," Sonny quickly shook his head. "You didn't do anythin' wrong, Iz. It's just..." he paused, seeing how upset she was becoming. "I don't want ya to think that this is what I expect, every time I come over. We don't have to have sex all the time, nor do I expect it from you. Some times, it's just nice to come over after a long day at work and talk. Be with you and hear about your day..." 

With her hands pressed against his chest, Isabella sat there quietly on his lap, digesting what he said. Sonny watched her quietly as well, his fingers rubbing slowly against her hips. Outside, the sounds of traffic in the early evening rush, filled the air. It was only a quarter to seven, an early day for Sonny to be out of work, which meant that their night together was still young. Mentally cursing himself for opening his mouth, Sonny hoped that he didn't fuck up royally. It was something he had been itching to say for the last two months, now that he and Isabella's relationship became sexual. And while he loved that she could trust him, in the most intimate way possible, Sonny grew worried that Isabella was only doing this for him. 

"I mean, we can still have sex," he spoke up, after a few minutes of silence. "But.. I wouldn't mind spendin' the night, just cuddlin' with you." 

"I'm not doing this for you," Isabella said, looking up at him. "Having sex, that is. I know you don't expect it all the time that we're together, Sonny. But..." 

She clammed up again, a blush rising to her cheeks, which made Sonny chuckle. It was the cutest thing he had been lucky to witness, watching her as she shyly opened up to him, more and more as the days, weeks and months went by. He craned his head to the side, "But?" he parroted back to her. "C'mon, tell me. You don't have to be embarrassed, Iz." 

Sonny took her hands into his, bring them up to his lips, pressing them against her knuckles. "Isssabelllaaaa," he crooned, which made her giggle. "Tellll meeee!" 

"I like doing it," she whispered, biting down on her lip. "I like that I can be with you in a way that I never thought I'd could be, with any man. I never thought sex could be like this, especially after what happened to me. To feel pleasure and to feel loved, while my body is being worshiped by someone who loves me back." 

He nodded slowly, watching as Isabella finally looked at him. "And I _love_  that I can be with you in that way, Sonny. You're the first person, in a long time, that's made me feel beautiful. And I feel safe with you and you make me  _feel_ good in every way possible." 

Pulling her down for a kiss, Sonny slipped his fingers through the wild web of curls; his hands moving from the back of her neck, to her shoulders, until his arms wrapped around her and pulled her body against his. "I love hearin' that I do all those things for you," he whispered, as Isabella buried her nose into the crook of neck. "That you trust me enough to be with you this way, to be the reason why you feel good." 

"Maybe I need to get it out of my system," Isabella shrugged. "I mean, nine years without sex? I think we've done at least half a year's worth, in the last two months.." 

"Yeah, and my body can feel it," Sonny snorted. "Don't you like... hurt down there after a few times? Because I know I do, especially after a night of rough play..." 

Isabella pouted, "Sometimes, but it's nothing I can't handle, Sonny," she insisted. "It's more of a.. good hurt. Trust me, Sonny, I wouldn't be jumping you every second, if I was in dire pain. At that point, you would know, because I can't tolerate physical pain." 

Sonny laughed, "Yeah, I know," he nodded, before sobering up. "So... do you want to talk?" 

"Yeah," Isabella nodded. "We can talk. We can always talk, Sonny." 

"I know," he said. "And afterwards, we can have sex." 

She giggled, shaking her head slowly, as Sonny pressed a kiss against her shoulder. "I just hope we have condoms," he continued, as he leaned forward to pull his work shirt off. "I can't remember if the box in the bedroom had one or two left.. 

"Actually..." Isabella started, which mad him look up. "We don't need them anymore.." 

He blinked, mouth parted as words failed to come out. When he finally found his voice, Isabella was frowning a bit at him. "What do you mean?" he asked, licking his lips nervously. "Are you.. are you like..." 

Isabella snorted, "No, I'm not pregnant," she said, watching as he let out a big rush of air. "I.. I went on the pill." 

"The pill." he stated, running a hand through his hair. "When did you go on the pill?" 

"Three weeks ago," she shrugged. "It was getting harder to have spontaneous sex around our apartments, when we'd have to stop to find a condom. Plus, we're both clean and I trust you. I know you're not creeping around behind my back or anything.." 

Sonny nodded, "Are you sure that's what you want to do, though?" he asked. "I mean.. havin' sex with me was a big step." 

She shrugged again, "It was time to anyways," she reasoned. "I can't just hide condoms throughout my apartment, Sonny. My Mother comes here too often and likes to "tidy" up, which is code for snooping. How can I explain to her, the treasure hunt of condoms throughout my apartment, when she hasn't met you yet." 

"Yeah.. I could see your point," he admitted. "Before I met you, I kept a box hidden in the floorboard under my bed. Hardly used, since I didn't do that kinda thing.. :

"Sure you didn't," Isabella rolled her eyes, as Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm sure you were quite the  _casanova_ before you met me." 

"Before I met you, I found solace with my hand," he retorted. "The only condoms I ever used were for a.. one man solo act." 

Isabella wrinkled her nose in confusion. "What did you do with the condoms?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "Did you.. just stare at them and think about having sex with a girl? Was that your like... porn?" 

Sonny barked a laugh, "No, babe," he shook his head. "They were just easier for clean up, if you catch my drift." 

"Oh!" she gasped, after a moment of silence; her face heating up, as Sonny snickered. "I see. I get it now..." 

"Yeah, so..." he shrugged. "Okay, if you want to try it without them, I don't object to the idea. But.. I think we should have a box on stand-by, just in case.." 

She nodded, "I'll pick up a box this weekend, when I go for groceries," she promised, leaning in for a quick kiss. "Are you hungry? I might have something in the fridge, that I can whip up for us. I'm a horrible girlfriend, not offering you something to eat and drink. You must be starving!" 

He chuckled, "I'm fine," he insisted, as she scrambled off his lap. "Come.. lets find something to eat and we can talk about our day. Then, I'll take you to the bedroom and make you feel  _more_ than good." 

......................

" _Moooooommmmmmyyyyy"_

Isabella whimpered, as she wrapped her legs tightly around Sonny's waist, while they both looked towards the locked bedroom door. 

"Shit," Sonny hissed, coming to a full stop. "Evelina probably wet the bed again." 

"This is the  _third_ time this week," Isabella whined. "And it's only  _Tuesday,_ Sonny." 

Sonny dropped his head against her heaving chest, "I know," he reminded her. "I wish there was somethin' I could do about it, but I'm not God." 

She scowled, pinching at his ribs, "Can't we just... ignore it for a few minutes?" she asked, feeling ashamed at the thought. "Please? I'm was just about to.. and she..." 

There was a knock on their bedroom door, which made Isabella shut up. "Who is it?" Sonny called out, as the knob jiggled a bit. "Thank god I locked that," he whispered. 

"Si Si," Siena mumbled from the other side of the door. "Daddy, it Si Si." 

"What's the matta Siena?" he asked, as Isabella slowly rocked her hips up and down, making him grit his teeth and glare at her. " _Stop it, Iz,"_ he hissed, as she moaned quietly. 

There was silence behind the door, before Siena spoke again. "Thirsty," she mumbled. "Thirsty, Daddy." 

He groaned, dropping his head down, before brushing his hair back from his eyes. "Go wait in ya bedroom, Si," he called out. "I'll be there in a few minutes with some water, but you have to wait in your bed." 

Once the pitter patter of feet disappeared from the doorway and down the hall, Sonny turned his attention back to Isabella. In the light coming from the bedside lap, Sonny could see the sheen layer of sweat on her skin, along with the blush that traveled from her face down to her neck and chest. Her eyes were half closed, as she slowly rocked herself up and down on him. 

"I swear, you're a bad influence," Sonny said, as he resumed thrusting into her. "The absolute  _worst._  Always in a rush, Iz. Where's the fire, huh?"

"You  _love_ it," Isabella gasped, as Sonny moved her legs from around his waist. "Sonnnnyyy." 

With both legs pushed up and out, Sonny set forth a brutal pace, which made Isabella cry out. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she chanted, as Sonny leaned down to silence her with a kiss. With the mattress creaking and the headboard hitting against the wall, Isabella came hard and fast, gushing around him. It was enough to send him off, pulsating deep into her, grunting and groaning with thrust. Coming to a standstill, Sonny moved his hands from the backs of her thighs, and laid out on top of her. Panting, Isabella let her legs fall to the mattress, wincing at the ache in her hips and thighs. 

"Fuck that was good," Sonny panted, as Isabella's arms wrapped around his neck; her fingers carding through the sweat-soaked grey locks. "Do.. do you think it worked this time?" 

"God, I hope so," Isabella breathed, as Sonny lifted his head up to look at her. "If not, we'll just have to keep trying." 

He gave her a lazy smile, leaning down to kiss her; his lips moving against hers. "Somethin' tells me that you won't object to that," he teased, making her giggle. "I better get up and get Sienna her water.." 

Isabella nodded in agreement, "I need to wash up," she sighed. "Probably change the sheets too.." 

"Always makin' a mess," Sonny teased, as he gently eased out of her and stood up from the bed. "After all these years.." 

"Yeah, because of you," she teased back, standing up on shaky legs. "Fuck, Sonny! I thought we were trying to get pregnant, not shift my pelvis into my stomach!" 

After three unplanned, but welcomed, pregnancies, they were back at it again; only this time, they were actively trying for another baby. Throughout the years, and the births of their three daughters, the couple still made time to be spontaneous when it came to their sex life. At night, long after the baths and bedtime stories, they aimed for all night sex marathons. But these days, there was always an interruption from one or all three of the girls. A night time accident or a nightmare, to the always used "I'm thirsty" excuse, which led to an hour of coaxing one of the girls back to sleep. It was Sonny who usually took over the night time incidents, always coming back to bed after being roped into promises he knew Isabella would frown upon. 

"Make sure she's got a new pull up on, before you come back," Isabella warned, as the light in the bathroom went on. "And don't make her any promises, Sonny. Last time, you told Carina she could make breakfast and we woke up to the sound of glass breaking in the kitchen. I do not want to clean up eggs and milk off the floor again, at five-thirty in the morning." 

Pulling on a discarded pair of boxer briefs, Sonny ran his fingers through his hair and snorted. "She's probably fast asleep," he said, unlocking the bedroom door. "Like every other night, when she comes in here lookin' for water." 

Isabella snorted, turning the shower on. "Hurry up," she called out, over the roar of the water. "It's getting late and I still want to cuddle." 

"Yeah, yeah," Sonny said, as he pulled the bedroom door open. "Whatever you want, Iz. Whatever you want." 

 


	18. First Date

Isabella looked down at the menu in her hands, sneaking glances up at the man across from her. Every few seconds their eyes would meet, which resulting in a lot of blushing and pretending that it never happened. 

"I don't know about you, but I could eat everythin' on this menu and still be hungry," Sonny said, breaking the silence between them. "Have you been here before?" 

"No," Isabella shook her head slowly. "I usually have pizza sent to my apartment..." 

Sonny nodded, "I only found out about this place from one of my co-workers," he shrugged, leaning his elbows on the table. "Usually, I either order in or make my own.. 

She gasped, "You know how to make your own?" she asked, surprised. 

"Oh yeah," Sonny nodded. "I like to cook, so I make pretty much everythin' and anythin' Italian. A lot of it comes from family recipes or something I mix up on my own, ya know. What about you?" 

"I cook," she nodded. "Not a lot, since it's only me. But when I have my parents over, I tend to cook a bit more. A mix of Italian and French." 

A smile pulled at Sonny's lips, a genuine one, as he nodded. "French? I've never had French food. Well.. save for a crepe or some pastries..." 

Isabella smiled at him, "It's not that bad," she shrugged. "Heavy with the butter, onions and herbs. Oh! And wine. Lots of wine. My Mother is from France, so she tends to cook a lot of dishes with herbs and wine. My Dad doesn't like it much, but for her, he'll eat it without a complaint." 

"And what about you?" Sonny asked. 

"I'm more there for the bread and the sweets afterwards," she blushed. "Italian is my favorite, followed by Asian, Southern and recently, Salvadoran." 

Sonny's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Now that, I've never had," he admitted. "Cuban? Yes. And some Latin dishes, but mostly from American based restaurants or take out.." 

She nodded, "It's really good," she insisted. "My co-worker is Salvadoran and she cooks all weekend for her family. Brings only the best of the best come Monday to feed us all.." 

At that moment, the waiter came by to take their order, "Do you still need more time?" he asked, eyeing the couple before him. "I could refill your drinks..." 

"Do you need more time?" Sonny asked, looking across at her. "I'm fine with whatever, so if you need more time, I can wait." 

"Um... you pick," Isabella shrugged. "I trust that you have good taste in food, since you've been here before." 

He nodded, "Okay.." he smiled, turning to the waiter. "Can we get the sixteen inch West Loop? And a side of..mozzarella sticks?" he looked to Isabella, who nodded. 

Writing down their order, the waiter excused himself to grab a refill for them both. "You'll love it," Sonny insisted, as he tapped his fingertips against the table top. "And if not, we'll just order somethin' until you find what ya like." 

"It's pizza," Isabella shrugged lightly. "How bad  _could_ it be?" 

"You'd be surprised," Sonny said, shaking his head. "Buzzfeed showed me the dark side of pizza toppin's and I was blown away." 

Isabella giggled and Sonny swore that his heart stopped, chuckling along with her. After bumping into her nearly a week ago at a bookstore, they spent the next few days texting back and forth. After three days of texting here and there, Sonny finally gave in and asked her out. 

_"I mean,.. if you're not too busy that is. We could grab a bite to eat and talk..."_

She read the text three times in five minutes, feeling her heart thumping against her rib cage, as her fingers hovered over the screen of her phone. He was cute and charming, she remembered as the cursor flashed in the text bar. And he didn't seem creepy, which most men were to her, when he approached her near the front of the shop. So when she said yes, agreeing to a Friday night dinner at seven, Isabella spent the rest of the week in a nervous wreck. 

When Sonny picked her up at at seven on the dot, dressed in casual jeans and a light sweater, Isabella couldn't help but admire him. He looked so perfect, standing right outside her door, so unaware of her dark past. Dressed in a pair of black leggings, a long-sleeved floral top and flats, Isabella felt a bit underdressed. But Sonny looked at her and smiled, when she let him into her apartment. 

" _You look amazin',"_ he said, as she grabbed her purse from the table. " _Now I feel underdressed..."_

They took the four block walk, passing the Museum of Natural History, before stopping right outside Uno Pizzeria & Grill. Waiting five minutes, they were finally seated at a high top table, given their menus and here they were; waiting on food and talking, bringing laughter out of Isabella that had been trapped inside her for almost nine years. 

"So, how was work?" Sonny asked, when the waiter left them with their drinks. "Kindergarten right?" 

"Yes," Isabella nodded, surprised that he remembered. "It was good. A little exhausting, running around after twenty hyperactive five year olds. But rewarding at the same time, when they're laughing and having fun with you." 

He smiled at her. "What about you?" she asked, taking a sip of her beer. "How was work?" 

Sonny shrugged, "Well, not as fun as your day," he admitted, which made her wince. "It's never a slow day at SVU. Right now, we're preppin' for a trial that starts on Monday, so our ADA was screamin' at us today. But... it's rewardin' at the end of the day. Helpin' people and puttin' away the bad guys." 

"You wouldn't change professions if offered?" Isabella asked, playing it cool. 

"Well, I'm going to night school at Fordham for law," Sonny started, shrugging slightly. "I mean.. maybe one day? But right now, nah. I feel more confident as a detective and seein' justice bein' served for the people we help. To know that I was part of givin' someone peace, after severe trauma..."

Isabella nodded, "I think you're very brave, doing what you do," she said. "And I know for sure, that those survivors feel safe, knowing that you're on their side."

He gave her a small smile, "Yeah," he nodded. "I'm sorry... my job tends to be a mood killer. Women here detective and think I'm more of an FBI agent, so when they hear Special Victims, the dates tend to go south.." 

"Well, I have no problem with it," Isabella insisted. _Because I was once a case at SVU, long before you showed up._ She pushed the thought down and put a smile on her face, "But we can talk about something else, if you don't want to talk about work. There are other things we could talk about, in order to get know one another." 

"Where do you wanna start?" Sonny asked, chuckling.

Isabella shrugged, "How about we start with books and go from there?" she asked, smiling when Sonny nodded in agreement.

................

An hour and a half later, found Sonny and Isabella laughing and picking at the remains of the pizza between them. Isabella reached for another small slice of pizza, not realizing that she had so much of it already, only to look up at Sonny with her mouth stuffed. Immediately, her face heated up, as she quickly tried to eat the piece in her mouth; all while looking graceful that is. She wasn't a heavy girl, nor was she skinny; just "curvy" as her Mother would put it. A small waist, wide hips and decent sized thighs.

"Um.." Isabella started, grabbing a napkin to wipe the sauce off her lips.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Sonny said quickly, looking at her with kind, honest and loving eyes. "Even when you're wolfin' down half a pizza pie and downin' beers.."

Immediately, he too blushed, covering his face with his hands. "Shit.." he hissed, groaning at the comment. "I'm _so_ sorry, Iz. I tend to open my mouth and talk, before my brain tells me to shut up.." 

She watched as he shook his head, his hands covering that beautiful face of his from her. And for the first time, in all her life when it came to comments about her weight, Isabella snorted out a laugh. Sonny dropped his hands and looked at her, wary and concerned.

"I'm sorry," Isabella said, clearing her throat, only to giggle some more. "I-I- oh god- I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. Especially when it comes to eating in front of them.." 

"Well.. I mean it," Sonny said, blushing still. "You're very beautiful, Isabella." 

It was that moment, when Isabella Palladino began to fall in love with Sonny Carisi. Little did she know, at that moment, was that Sonny Carisi had already gave his heart to her. 

.............

Settling the check, which Sonny paid for, refusing to hear about splitting, they grabbed their jackets and headed outside. 

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked, as she stood next to him. "It's a nice night out. We could walk around and talk some more, or I could walk you home..." 

"Let's go for a walk," Isabella nodded. "It's still early and I don't have to be up early tomorrow." 

Nodding, they crossed the street and started down the sidewalk near the museum, walking close to each other. When they reached the corner, Sonny took her hand into his, which made her jump in surprise. 

"I'm sorry," Sonny said, quickly dropping her hand from his. "I should've... I should've asked.." 

Cursing her nerves, Isabella shook her head quickly. "No, it's alright!" she said quickly. "I-I thought you'd tripped or something..." 

It sounded so stupid, coming out of her mouth, when it sounded pretty reasonable in her head. Sonny nodded slowly, "I..I just thought.." 

"I'd like to hold your hand, Sonny," Isabella said, a bit more confident this time, as she held her hand out to him. 

"Good," Sonny said, smiling slowly at her. "Cuz, I want to hold yours too.." 

His large hand wrapped around hers, their fingers intertwining, as they started down the block towards the museum. Closed now, they slowed their steps as they reached the steps leading up to he building. 

"I love this place," Isabella said softly, looking up at front of the museum. 

"You're a museum kinda girl, huh?" Sonny asked, looking down at her. 

Isabella nodded, turning to smile at him. "I try to go to all of them," she said. "The MET, the MOMA, the Frick collection... my parents took me a lot when I was a little girl." 

Sonny smiled at her, "My favorite is the MET," he admitted. "But this one here comes close to first. What kid doesn't enjoying the hall of biodiversity and the huge blue whale?" 

.....................

They walked another hour longer, stopping to get Italian ices, when Sonny finally walked her home. Following her up the sitars to her apartment door, Sonny kept a small space between the two of them, as she unlocked her door. Tossing the keys and her purse on the hall table, Isabella turned around and faced him, a smile on her face. 

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Sonny," she said quietly, as he smiled back at her. "Thank you." 

"I did too," Sonny nodded. "C-can I see you again?" 

The flutter in her belly and the catch of her breath, Isabella nodded. "I would  _really_ like that," she said, resisting the urge to squeal like a teenage girl. "Whenever you're free that is.." 

He nodded, "I'll call you tomorrow," he said, taking her hand into his, bring it to his lips. 

Isabella blushed as he pressed a kiss against her knuckles, before releasing her hand, which she pulled to her chest. "Goodnight, Iz." 

"Goodnight, Sonny," she said softly, watching as he turned and headed back down the stairs, looking up once to smile and wave, before disappearing from view. 

When door to her building closed behind him, Isabella stepped back into her apartment and shut the door, rushing to the window in hopes to catch another look at him. She watched as he crossed the street, his long legs carrying him in slow strides, as he disappeared down the block heading towards the subway that would take him home. Sighing, Isabella went through her nightly ritual of locking up and getting ready for bed. Catching up on a few emails and gossip blogs, Isabella powered down the laptop and climbed into bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, her cellphone lit up on the nightstand, as it began to ring. 

Groaning, Isabella reached out and answered the phone, without checking the caller id. "Hello?" 

"So, how do you feel about seein' the big blue whale with me tomorrow? 

Isabella smiled as she rolled onto her side, pressing her hand to smother her giggles. "I would be honored," she said, as Sonny chuckled on the other end. "I thought you were calling me tomorrow?" 

"It is tomorrow!" Sonny exclaimed. "Midnight. That's tomorrow, which is technically today. Saturday. 

"Sonny..." she giggled, as he chuckled. 

"So..what time should I pick you up today?" he asked. "Or do you want to meet me there? On the steps outside?" 

Isabella hummed, "I'll meet you on the steps outside," she confirmed. "I'll bring coffee and pastries for breakfast, so don't eat anything beforehand. Text me how you take your coffee before you go to bed.." 

He chuckled again, "Alright, but lunch is on me," he insisted. "I'll see you around.. ten?" 

"Yeah, ten is good," Isabella agreed. "Goodnight." 

"Goodnight, Iz," he murmured into the phone, before ending the call. 

Setting the alarm for a quarter to nine, Isabella set her phone back on the nightstand and pulled the blankets up to her shoulders. Surprised that he had actually called her, Isabella smiled to herself in the darkness of her bedroom. Closing her eyes, Isabella fell asleep and dreamed of nothing but the tall and lanky detective, who made her feel something other than fear for the first time in nine years. 

Hope. 

 


	19. Potty Training

Sonny sat on the floor across from the toilet bowl, waiting and watching, as his legs went numb from being crossed. On the toilet,perched onto the detachable training seat, Carina stared back at her Father; her little legs swinging back and forth. On floor, lay a discarded pull-up, which the toddler pulled off the moment she ran into the bathroom. 

Looking down at his phone, Sonny let out a deep sigh, resting his head back against the wall. "Carina, we've been sittin' here a half hour," he started, as she pouted at him. "I don't think there's anythin' in ya that has to come out." 

"No, Daddy," she shook her head; the tangled curls swaying. "I go poopie." 

"Carina..." 

Potty training had been the most stressful adventure yet, which both he and Isabella foolishly went on. With their plans on going to Disney world that summer, which they were in the early stages of planning at the time, the couple decided to start the process of potty training. 

_Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll be fully trained by the time we go! We'd only have to pack a few pull ups, instead of a package and a half!_

So, buying a package of pull-ups instead of diapers, they started putting Carina on the toilet bowl. When they went out to visit Noelle and Antonio, Sonny took Carina to the store, and helped her pick out her first pack of underwear. 

_Look how cute, Rina! Disney Princesses and Minnie Mouse!_

The first few months were rough, as Carina went to the bathroom in the pull-ups, instead of using the toilet. Even with a Minnie Mouse printed training seat, Carina seemed bored at first. She would sit for a few minutes, before crying to get down, running off to her room; Sonny would find her in the corner, squatting down to poop in her pull-up. Or there would be days that they would find her, running around the apartment without her pull-up on, trailing toilet paper around the apartment. For Carina, the bathroom became her playground, as she tossed tampons like darts at the cats. Or took Sonny's shaving cream, after climbing from the closed toilet to the counter, and smearing it all over the mirror and herself.Then, when they found out that Isabella was pregnant again, it became harder to follow through on the training. 

_I'm too tired to sit there and watch her, Sonny. And I don't want to chase her around the apartment, as she trails toilet paper behind her!_

After locking the cabinets under the sink, and keeping everything out of sight, Carina refused to sit on the toilet herself. The only time she ever showed interest in the room, was only when Sonny or Isabella were using it.  And now, just a moth away from turning two, Sonny was ready to call off the entire thing for the time being. 

_She's not ready, Iz. Hell, I wasn't fully potty trained until I was almost three!_

But tonight, Carina woke him up, wanting to use the bathroom. "Like big girl!" she nodded, as Sonny whimpered and stumbled down the hall after her. "Daddy! I go poopie!" 

"Carina, you don't have to poop," Sonny finally said. "And if you do, we both know it's gonna go right into your pull-up, sweetheart.." 

She scowled at him, "It's alright," Sonny continued. "When you're ready to use the potty, you'll let Mommy and me know. Let's get you back to b-" 

He paused when her face scrunched up, her little hands gripping to the sides of her training seat. Her little face, all scrunched up from straining, turned red as she grunted. Suddenly, there was-  _plop! plop! plop!-_ into the water, before she visibly relaxed. 

"D-" Sonny started, his eyes going wide. 

"I poopie!" Carina giggled, clapping her hands together. "I poopie, Daddy!" 

Sonny scrambled up to his knees, wincing at the sharp tingling in his legs and feet. "You went poopie!" he exclaimed, kissing her cheeks. "Look at my big girl! Poopin' on the potty like a big girl!" 

She squealed, "I poopie more!" she declared, as Sonny reached for the package of wipes. 

"You do what ya gotta do," he nodded, standing up. "I'm so proud of ya, Carina! See? I told Mommy that it would click eventually!" 

Another five minutes, followed by another round of poop and a little bit of pee, Sonny had Carina cleaned up and back in her pull-up. Letting her flush the potty, Carina waved goodbye to the surprises she left in the toilet. 

"Bye, bye, poopie!" she giggled, as Sonny tickled her lightly. 

"Let's wash those hands," he sighed, brining her to the sink. "Do you wanna go back to your room?" 

Carina shook her head, as he helped her rinse her hands under the cool stream of water. "I sweep with you and Mommy."

Sonny nodded, grabbing the towel to dry their hands, tossing it onto the counter. "Let's go back to bed," he announced, picking her up. "Daddy's tired and we have a busy day tomorrow." 

"I go poopie?" Carina asked, as he carried her down the hall to the master bedroom. "Daddy go poopie?" 

"You can go poopie on the potty later," he promised. "And everyone poops, Rina. Mommy and me... everyone goes poopie on the potty.." 

Quietly, they made their way over to the bed, where Isabella slept. Careful not to wake her, Sonny placed Carina down and urged her to the middle of the bed, before climbing in next to her. "Alright," he whispered, as Carina snuggled up against him. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. Mommy's sleepin' and we don't want to wake her, right?" 

Carina nodded, tucking her hands underneath her chin. "Sweepy," she said, yawning widely in his face. "Lub you, Daddy." 

"Love you too,  _topolina,"_ Sonny whispered back, kissing her on the forehead. 

.................

The next day, the trio walked through Target, buying the last few things before their trip. 

"Sunscreen for us and for the baby," Isabella read of the list, to which Carina scowled at. "First aid supplies, extra wipes, heartburn medication for Mommy..." 

Sonny snickered, as Isabella continued reading out the list, "I guess your sister is givin' Mommy a hard time," he said, tickling Carina's belly.

"Mommy, ouch," Carina pouted, as Isabella setting the list down next to Carina.

"We just need an extra thing of pull-ups and little swimmers, and we should be done!" Isabella announced, looking relieved at the thought. "Then, we can go back to the house, so I can put my feet up for a bit." 

Carina pouted, shaking her head. "No!" she shouted. "I go poopie in potty!" 

"Carina," Sonny sighed, as she continued to scowl at Isabella. "You can still use the potty in Disney World. You still have to wear a pull-up, just in case." 

The toddler whined, "What if you go poopie in your pants?" Isabella asked. "Do you think Minnie and Mickey will want to see you, if you're stinky?" 

The little girl shook her head, looking distressed at the idea of not being able to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse. "Or what if you poop in the pool?" her mother continued. "Then they'll shut the pool, all because you went poop in it!" 

"Alright, Iz..." Sonny held his hand up. "Don't upset her, babe. She's just excited, after all. Her first time going on the toilet bowl is a big deal. Right,  _topolina?_ " 

"Wight!" Carina nodded. 

Sonny pulled her out of the top seat of the wagon, "Let's see if there's any Minnie pull-ups with your name on it," he offered. "And when we come home from our vacation, we'll try undies." 

Making their way over to the baby department, Sonny and Carina stood before the shelves, searching for the right pull-ups. "Well, they don't have Minnie," he said, sharing a pout with Carina. "How about Belle? And Cindy?" 

"Ohtay," Carina nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. 

Grabbing two packs, Sonny chucked them into the wagon, along with a tube of A&D ointment. "Just incase she gets rashy," he said, when Isabella shot him a questioning look. Between the heat and the pull-up, she'll chafe. Can't necessarily put the stuff you use on her.." 

"Yeah, but still...I have a tube at home," Isabella reminded him. 

"It's open," he reminded her. "I rather get a fresh one, so that there's enough in here. Besides, once the baby comes, they can't share diaper creams. It's cross contamination!" 

Isabella rolled her eyes, as she placed her hand on the swell of her belly. Tossing a package of swim diapers into the wagon, Sonny moved to stand next to her. "Is this all we needed?" he asked, looking into the wagon. "We have to pack all of this stuff tonight, since we're leaving on Sunday..." 

She grabbed the list and marked off the items that were thrown in, "Yeah," she nodded. "I have plenty of clothes for her and for us, so we don't need anything." 

"Alright, let's get goin'," Sonny said, placing his hand on the small of her back. "Frenchie is probably wonderin' what's takin' so long.." 

"If she was so worried, she would've called us," Isabella snorted, as they made their way up to the front. 

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, well.." he shook his head, as Carina yawned. "We should head back to the house anyways, so this one can take a nap." 

Isabella nodded, "Fine by me," she sighed. "She'll probably want to use the potty beforehand.." 

At that, Carina lifted her head up and looked right at her. "Mommy go poopie?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "I go poopie!" 

"Shhh," Sonny snorted, as Isabella rubbed her growing belly. "You can go use Grandma's potty," he promised. 

Unloading the wagon and paying, Sonny handed Carina over to Isabella, before wheeling the wagon out to the car. Loading all the bags in the back, while Isabella got the toddler in her car seat, Sonny started up the car to get the air conditioning going. Buckled in and ready to go, Sonny drove down towards the exit of the shopping center, waiting in a line of traffic. 

"Pooppppieeeeee!" Carina sang, wiggling around in her car seat. 

"We're never going to hear the end of this," Isabella said, as she rested her elbow against the car door. "Hell, she'll probably serenade the entire flight down to Orlando, with the ballad of her pooping experience." 

Sonny laughed, "Why do you think I booked the earliest flight out?" he asked, easing the car forward. "That way she'll sleep through the entire thing." 

Isabella yawned, running her fingers through her hair. "I hope so, because I know I'll be sleeping," she mumbled. 

"Poopie!" Carina squealed, giggling as she met Sonny's eyes in the rear view mirror. "Daddy, poopie!" 

"I hear ya,  _topolina!"_ he chuckled. "And I think  _two_ extra cookies, along with a princess movie, sound like a great reward. Right, Mommy? Does that sound like a reasonable reward, for pooping in the potty?" 

Isabella smiled at him, "I think so," she nodded, turning to look back at her daughter. "Two cookies and a princess movie." 

The little girl squealed, clapping her hands together. "Cookie! Cookie!" she chanted, as Sonny pulled out of the parking lot. 

"Alright, let's go home and see what Grandma's up to," he said, as he took the familiar route back to Noelle and Antonio's house. "We'll let Mommy rest, while you show Grandma how you use the potty like a big girl!" 

 


	20. Squeamish Requests.

"Hey, babe! I'm leavin' work now, so I figured I'd call to see if you wanted me to pick up dinner tonight?" Sonny said, as he stepped out of work. "Unless you cooked of course.." 

"Umm... take out is fine," Isabella said quietly on her end, which made Sonny frown. "Whatever you want is fine with me.." 

He stopped on the sidewalk, out of the way of pedistrians. "What's the matta, Iz?" he asked. "You sound... sad. Or like you're in some kinda pain..." 

There was a brief moment of silence, before she spoke again, nearly whispering. "C-can you stop by the Walgreens or something? I need tampons..." 

"Sure! Which ones?" he asked, his response so care-free  and relaxed. "Do you need pads? Or liners?" 

"Oh.." Isabella said quietly, as she rustled under the sink, chucking empty boxes onto the counter. "Yeah.. pads too." 

Sonny resumed walking, heading towards the subway that would take him to her neck of the woods. "You got it! Just send me a picture of the ones you usually get," he said, reaching the stairs that would take him underground. "I'll see you soon, sweetheart." 

"Okay, see you soon.." Isabella said, before hanging up. 

Pocketing his phone, Sonny waited on the platform for the next available subway, wondering why his girlfriend had acted so strange on the phone. So what if he had to buy a box of tampons? Sonny was lost in his thoughts, when the feeling of his phone buzzing in his pocket, made him jump. Pulling the device out, he opened the text from Isabella and was greeted by a picture of two boxes on the counter of her bathroom. 

 _"If they don't have the super plus in the Tampax Radiant, the U by Kotex ones are also good,"_ she wrote. 

" _I'll work my magic to find you a box,"_ he texted back, adding on the kissy face emoji. 

 _"Thank you, Sonny,"_ she texted back, using the same emoji as he did. 

As the train pulled in, Sonny put his phone away and boarded the car, glancing down at his watch. If he knew anything about the time of the month, being the only boy out of three girls, he knew that Isabella wouldn't be feeling that great. As the subway made its trek through the underbelly of Manhattan, Sonny planned out exactly how he would make his girl smile that night. 

..............

"Baby, I'm home!" Sonny called out, stepping into Isabella's apartment. "Where are ya?" 

Closing the door behind him, Sonny carried the shopping bags and take out bag over the kitchen table, setting everything down. He heard footsteps coming down the hallway, as he unloaded the loot he obtained from Walgreens. 

"Hey bab-what's wrong?" Sonny's smile fell quickly, when he laid his eyes upon Isabella; her face lined with pain and her eyes wet with tears, as she moved slowly into the kitchen. 

"I don't feel good.." she mumbled, as she began to break down in front of him; her hands came up to cover her face, as she sobbed into them. 

Sonny made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her. "Alright, alright," he said gently, rubbing her back with his hand. "How bad?" 

She sniffled, "Bad," she mumbled, pressing her forehead against his chest. 

"Okay, how about I draw ya a bath?" he offered. "A nice, warm bath with some bubbles. I'll fix up the bed and find you the comfiest clothes, while you soak." 

"But..." she started, before he shook his head. 

"Dinner can wait a little bit," he insisted. "I'm more concerned about you, doll. I've never see ya like this.." 

Isabella sniffled, "Because I hide if from you," she mumbled, looking embarrassed. "It's only the first day that's bad, which luckily, fell on the days when you were working overnights..." 

Sonny nodded, "I don't want you to hide things like this, Iz," he said. "I rather know about it, that way I can help you." 

"What did you buy?" Isabella asked, after a few minutes of silence. "That's a lot of bags for one box of tampons and a box of pads.." 

"Well, I got the things you requested," he started, moving to the table. "I also got you the junkiest junk food possible, along with chocolate. Because who can say no to chocolate, right?" 

She watched as he pulled things out of the bags, laying them down on her kitchen table. "I also got you a thing of Aleve, because the stuff they make to cure your period pains, doesn't really work. And thank god I got this, because you look so wiped out.." 

Isabella nodded slowly, "C' mon," he said, turning her around and walking her down the hall to her bathroom. "Let's get you in that bathtub. Tonight, I'm goin' to take care of you." 

Filling the tub with warm water, Sonny dumped a good amount of bath bubbles into the water, while Isabella stripped from her clothes. Quickly, while his back was turned, Isabella tossed the used tampon and pad into the trash, before he turned around to smile at her. 

"In ya go," he said, taking her by the hand, helping her into the water. "Now, I want you to sit back and relax. Let the water help with the crampin' and all the aches and pains. I'll go fix the bed up and we can eat dinner in there tonight..." 

"You're so good to me, Sonny," Isabella sighed, as she sank down into the welcoming pool of bubbles. 

He chuckled, "Because you deserve to be pampered," he reminded her, bending down to collect her clothes. "I'll be back with fresh ones! Now, relax!" 

As he stepped out of her bathroom, Isabella wondered how she ever got so lucky, to have him in her life. 

...........

Redressing in a pair of sweats and one of Sonny's shirts, Isabella was tucked into her bed. During the time it took for her to relax in the bath, Sonny had  remade the entire bed and fluffed up the pillows against the headboard. Turning the beside lamps on, instead of the ceiling light, the room had a warm glow. Netflix had been powered up and their dinner had been prepared, the plates and water resting on the lap tray on the dresser. Having changed into the extra set of clothes he left behind, Sonny led her out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, once she was dressed and ready. 

"Chinese food and Netflix," Sonny said, as she sat down. "After you eat, I'll get that heatin' pad for ya.." 

"Thank you, Sonny," Isabella said, giving him a tired smile. "This is amazing. You didn't have to go all out for me..." 

He shook his head, "Anythin' for you," he said, kissing her. "You ready to eat?" 

She nodded, waiting patiently as he brought the tray over to the bed. "So, I got our usual," he said, as he handed her plate over. "But somethin' told me to get a bigger thing of fried rice.." 

"That's.. that's all I can eat when I get my period," she said, her eyes wide with shock. "And peanut butter cups. Not together of course, but those two are my comfort food. For the first few days at least.." 

"Well, I promise to bring you all the fried rice and peanut butter cups, for as long as you'll let me," Sonny said

Picking up where they left off on  _House of Cards,_ they ate in silence. When they finished, Isabella paused the episode to use the bathroom, while Sonny took the dishes out to the kitchen. Putting away the leftovers, Sonny put the dishes in the dishwasher, before checking the locks on the door and window. Isabella was already back in the bedroom when he returned, the bottle of Aleve and junk food in hand. 

"Here," he said, shaking out two pills for her. "Take this and I'll get that heatin' pad on ya.." 

"Wow, you really went all out," Isabella said, eyeing the bags of chips and candies on her bed. "I think you're secretly enjoying the perks of having a girlfriend on the rag.." 

Sonny snorted, as he plugged the heating pad, moving to lay it across her lower abdomen. "I eat like this all the time," he said, as she washed the capsules down. "I bring this stuff over regardless, Iz." 

She giggled, "I know, I'm teasing you," she said, reaching out to lay her hand upon his cheek. "I'm kinda full, but I wont say no to a piece of chocolate." 

"There she is," Sonny snickered, climbing over her, settling down on "his" side of the bed. 

Eating a few pieces of chocolate, Isabella pulled the pillows down and curled up on her side, facing Sonny. Seeing that she was no longer paying attention to the show, Sonny turned the television off and cleared the bed off. 

"Short nap?" he asked, as he came to lay back down next to her. "It's still kinda early for a Friday night.. Usually we're up real late, since neither of us have work on Saturday." 

"Mmmhmmm," she nodded, as he switched the pad off, dropping it to the floor. 

Sonny replaced the pad with his arms, wrapping them around her waist. "How do ya feel now?" he asked, as she cuddled closer to her. 

"Sleepy," Isabella mumbled. "A bit better though, thanks to you." 

"Good, I'm happy to hear that," Sonny said, relieved. "Look, ya don't have to be embarrassed, Iz. If you ever need me to bring home tampons, pads or whatever else you need, I'll do it." 

Isabella blushed, "What.. what if I leak?" she asked, embarrassed. "Sometimes, if I don't get up right away, I leak. What if you wake up and see bloodstains on the sheets? Or on your clothes?" 

Sonny shrugged, "Iz, it's blood," he said. "It happens. I grew up with three sisters, so I've seen my fair share of bloodstained sheets in the laundry basket." he continued. "I know all about this stuff, well.. the basics that is. But, I'm not one of those guys that get squeamish about having a box of tampons in my grocery basket. " 

Isabella nodded, "I know," she whispered. "Just didn't want you to see me like this." 

"I want to see every part of ya, even if it upsets me too," Sonny insisted, kissing her forehead. "I love you and I want to be there to comfort you, no matta what the case may be. Besides, you'd get to experience the Carisi massage." 

"The what?" Isabella snorted, looking at him through heavy eyes. 

He nodded, "I just don't perform that for anyone," he teased. "The last girl I offered it to, thought I was tryin' to get in her pants while she had her period." 

She wrinkled her nose, "Hey, I don't care," he shrugged. "But, I'll always leave it to you. We can always come back at a later date, to talk about the perks of havin' sex while you're on your period. But tonight? Tonight, I just want to make sure you're goin' to be alright. The one thing I hate, is seein' you in pain and seein' you cry.

"You are literally too  _perfect_ for words," Isabella sighed, smiling at him. "You're going to have such a hard time, getting rid of me." 

"Like I'd ever give you up," Sonny snorted, sitting up to grab the comforter. "You're pretty much stuck with me, Iz. I've waited my whole life, for a girl like you. I'd be crazy to let you walk away..." 

Isabella pressed a kiss against his neck, as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Love you," she mumbled, as the day's worth of pain and the medication kicked in. 

"I love you, too," he replied, running his hand up and and down her back, rubbing small but firm circles against her lower back. 

That night, for the first time in a long time, Isabella fell asleep easily. 

 


	21. Work Visit

Sonny let out a deep sigh, as he flipped through the papers before him, his hand pressing against his forehead. Glancing at his watch, he sighed; only another half hour, until he could take his lunch break. Three hours after the first scheduled one, which had been pushed back, all thanks to the mountain of paper work. Tearing his eyes away from the text, which started to make his eyes hurt, Sonny looked at the picture frames on his desk. A wedding portrait of him and Isabella, taken shortly after they stepped out of the church as husband and wife. The next picture, was of the two of them.  This time, however, they were joined by their ten month old daughter Carina. 

He let out another sigh, wishing that he could be at home with both his girls; it had been a rainy April day, dark and dreary as Isabella liked it. "Perfect cuddle weather," she would call it, if they woke up to a storm. "You, me and the baby." 

"How's that paperwork coming?" Fin asked, as he made his way back to his desk. "Looks like you got maybe a page or two done." 

"It's comin'," Sonny scowled, tapping the pen against the desktop. 

The Sergeant nodded, "I get that you wanna be home, Carisi," he reminded him. "But you're not getting anywhere closer to breaking out of here, with that mountain of paperwork. And I know Iz would kill you, if you brought it home." 

The younger man snorted, "Don't I know.." he shook his head. "Sorry Fin. It's been a hell of a day and I haven't heard from Iz since I left the apartment this mornin'..." 

This made Fin frown, "Didn't Carina have her doctor's appointment today?" he asked, looking down at his watch. "At like.. eleven thirty this morning?" 

"Yeah," Sonny nodded. "I mean, I'm sure she's fine. They probably had to wait forever in that waitin' room and if Carina had any shots, it becomes a whole song and dance. Takin' her to get somethin' to eat, like a doughnut, and then takin' her to get a little prize." 

"No wonder why you're always cranky when that credit card bill comes," Fin teased, as the doors to the precinct opened. "And I can tell ya right now, you're gonna be a little annoyed next month." 

Sonny frowned, as Fin nodded his head towards the door, which made him turn around. 

"Dada!"  

Standing up, Sonny met Isabella and Carina halfway, wrapping his arms around them both. "Hey!" he greeted them, a smile on his face. "What are you two doin' here?" 

"Well, Carina wanted to see her Daddy," Isabella said, as he took the baby from her. "And I wanted to see my unbelievably handsome and very sexy husband. Do you know where he is by the way? He's about.. this tall and has an accent that'll make any girl weak in the knees..." 

"Very funny," Sonny shook his head, as Isabella laughed. "I was wonderin' what happened after the doctors! I texted you a few times, but didn't hear back." 

Isabella nodded, "Phone died," she said, pulling out the dead device. "Waited almost two hours in the waiting room, so I had to find something to keep her occupied. Between pictures of you and her educational videos, my phone couldn't stand it anymore." 

"I hope you showed her the G-rated photos, Iz," Sonny warned, as he kissed Carina's forehead. "Well? What's the report? Do we have a healthy girl?" 

"Very healthy and very big," she nodded. "Twenty five pounds!" 

Sonny whistled, "You hear that? You're about the size of a turkey, Carina.Two of you, would be enough to feed both sides of the family at Thanksgivin'!" 

Carina squealed, pulling at his tie. "I brought lunch," Isabella said, holding up a take out bag. "I texted Liv, who informed me that you didn't go on lunch. So, being the most wonderful wife that I am, brought lunch for you, me and the turkey." 

"The break room is free!" Fin said casually, as he fiddled around on his laptop. "Just make sure you stop by before you leave, so I can get a little lovin' from my favorite girl." 

"Will do," Isabella promised, as Carina babbled her baby talk with Sonny. "Come on.. before you get cranky." 

 

Taking her by the hand, Sonny walked them to the break room that was used only a handful of times, closing the door behind him. "I figured panini's from Pisillo's would be the best," Isabella said, as she took the takeout boxes out. "Luckily I think ahead and pack food for Carina, so I have applesauce, a banana and I got the cute boy behind the counter to sneak a few slices of chicken for her.." 

"Cute boy?" Sonny asked, his eyebrow cocked. 

"No one's as cute as you, Sonny," Isabella teased, plugging her phone into the outlet near the toaster. "He was too busy falling for the Carisi charm, since your daughter can get anyone to do anything for her." 

Sonny shook his head, holding Carina up. "You, little miss, are too young to be teasin' the boys," he said, as she squealed. "When you're thirty, you can date." 

Isabella snorted, as she took out the panini from the takeout box. "Real cute, Sonny," she shook her head, setting the plate in front of him. "I got you the Bari, but with little olive paste." 

"God, this looks delicious," Sonny sighed, eyeing the sandwich before him. "And I'm guessin' you got the Ancona with extra mozzarella?" 

"Of course," Isabella scoffed, picking up one half of her panini. "You know my and my torrid love affair with mozzarella." 

He snorted, "You know I do," he said, eating with one hand. "So, what else did the doctor say?" 

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Isabella reached for the separate container that held the thinly sliced chicken. "She's got two more teeth coming in on the top," she started. "So she's gonna be cranky, once they bust on out.." 

"Oh man," Sonny sighed, looking down at Carina. 

"She got four vaccines today, too," she continued, which made him gasp. "I know, I just about had a heart attack when he said that. But considering the last time we saw the doctor, was when she was sick? She would've given Carina just two, but she still needed the other two from last month." 

Sonny shook his head, "She must've been a  _nightmare,"_ he shook his head, as Carina babbled to him. "I'm so sorry, babe. I shoulda went with ya this mornin'." 

Isabella shrugged, "She calmed down, once I told her we were coming here," she said. "Once I dangle that carrot over her head, she stops her crying. Besides, I knew she was gonna be a crier, when it came to shots and other doctor related things. Carina's mostly a clone of you, only in a female form." 

"Dada!" Carina whined, her hand reaching for the plate on the table. 

"Here," Sonny said, distracting her with the container of chicken. "Mommy got you some chicken, which is your favorite.." 

Ripping up the pieces into smaller ones, Sonny fed them to her, chuckling as she drooled on his fingers. "Hopefully I'll get out of here tonight early," he sighed, wiping his hand on a napkin. "I'll make some mashed potatoes for this one here.." 

"Hmm, her favorite," Isabella snickered, as Carina gave in to being fed. "You know, if you have to bring some work home with you, I don't mind. It's supposed to be really shitty this weekend, with all that rain. It's not like we're gonna be going out and running around.." 

"Yeah, but it's the weekend," Sonny said, frowning at her. "Two days to spend with you and my  _topolina._ Two days to rest and see what kinda trouble she can get into..." 

Isabella shrugged, "What are you going to do when she's napping?" she asked. 

"Well.. I was thinkin' about doin' you," Sonny trailed off, jumping when she lightly kicked him under the table. " _Ouch!_ What? Oh, come on Iz! Don't act like you're not thinkin' the same thing! You're just as bad as I am, when it comes to foolin' around." 

She rolled her eyes, "Just bring home a file or two," she said. "Seriously, because you know you'll get bored at some point. And if Carina and I are both napping, you'll have something to do." 

He sighed, "Think about it," she shrugged. "It'll be two less files to go through, come Monday." 

"I'll think about it," he gave in. "What are you doin' for the rest of the day?" 

"Probably head back home and pick up a few groceries," Isabella shrugged. "She needs more diapers and we're gonna need food to get us through the weekend..." 

"Do you want me to pick a few things up on the way home?" he asked. "I mean, you don't have the stroller with you, Iz. How are you going to juggle all those bags, while holdin' Carina?" 

She sighed, "How about I get the food and you get the diapers," he offered. "Or, I can sneak out of here early, head home and we can all go together." 

Carina squealed, which made both her parents laugh. "If Liv lets out you early, then come home ," Isabella nodded. "I have to stop and get the diapers, since she only has three left. Can't go between now and god knows when you'll be home, with three diapers." 

"Okay," Sonny nodded. "I'll try my best to break out, but either way, I'll get the groceries." 

 

 

They finished the hour together, eating and laughing, before Carina grew fussy. "I'll change her," Sonny said, when he noted a wet diaper. "Come on, princess. Let's get you cleaned up and then you and Mommy are gonna go to the store." 

Taking the diaper bag and the baby, Sonny went off to the bathroom to quickly change her, while Isabella threw out the trash and collected her things. Waiting by his desk, Isabella eyed all the miscellaneous items before her. The name plate, along with the card holder filled with business cards. The piles of paperwork, surrounding his laptop; the background being a picture of the three of them. 

"Okay," Sonny's voice interrupted her snooping. "One cleaned up baby, ready for a trip home." 

"Aw, leaving so soon," Fin asked. 

Isabella nodded, "Gotta go for a diaper run," she pouted, as Fin stopped by the couple. "And, if I want Sonny home by seven, I need him to get some more work done." 

Fin nodded, "I'm sure Liv will let him go early," he shrugged. "Anything for this little girl. Right? Uncle Fin is gonna have to stop by one of these days, just to see my favorite girl." 

Carina screeched, a happy smile stretched on her face. "Spoiled little girl she is," Sonny snorted, as Fin kissed her chubby hands. 

"See ya soon," Fin said, as he gave Isabella a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Don't be a stranger, Iz. We actually enjoy getting visitors here, especially when they bring cute babies." 

"As long as we don't get in the way," she laughed, as Fin made his way back to his desk. 

Sonny wrapped his arm around her shoulders, as they started for the elevators. "You guys are never in the way," he insisted. "Seein' you two, is the best part of my day." 

She smiled at him, watching as he kissed Carina goodbye. "Be good for Mommy, Rina," he said, as she giggled. "Daddy'll be home soon to make dinner and play with you. If you're good for Mommy, I'll see if Zia Liv has any stickers left over from your last visit." 

"Be a good boy," Isabella teased, as she took the baby from him. "Otherwise, you get no special treats later." 

"I'll try my best," Sonny snickered, as he pulled the hood up to Carina's raincoat. "Be safe. Text me when you get to the store and when you get home." 

Isabella nodded, "I will," she promised. "Don't worry so much, baby. It'll keep you from getting your work done." 

He scoffed, "I always worry, Iz. More so now, than I did before we had Carina. It's my job to worry about you two, especially when you're out in this weather.." 

"I love you," Isabella said, standing on her toes to kiss him. "My knight in shining armor." 

"I love you too, doll," he smiled, giving her another kiss. "Okay, go! Before I lose control and run outta here with ya's." 

Giving Carina another kiss on the forehead, Sonny stepped back as they stepped into the elevator. "Say, "bye, bye, Daddy," Isabella cooed, as she held Carina's arm up to wave. "Bye, bye!" 

"Buh, buh!" Carina pouted, as Isabella blew him a kiss. 

As the doors closed slowly, Sonny blew one back, before they disappeared from view. Hand to his heart, Sonny sighed and made his way back to his desk and back to the paperwork before him. Sitting down, he picked up his neglected pen and resumed his work. 

 


	22. Jealousy

Isabella Carisi was familiar with the green eyed monster, named jealousy. She had been jealous of many things in her life, from childhood to her adulthood. Jealous of the rich and popular girls in high school, who got cars when they turned sixteen and went skiing upstate during winter break. Jealous of women who were in relationships, while she sat in the darkness, struggling with her recovery from being brutalized in a frat boy's bedroom. 

During the early months and first year of her relationship with Sonny, Isabella felt the green eyed monster rise, when women would try to flirt with her boyfriend, as she stood by his side. And Sonny, being her sweet ball of sunshine, would politely turn them down. 

_I'm happily in a relationship, ladies.._

He would tease her endlessly, about how cute she looked, staring down innocent women. Women, who were either a little tipsy at the bars they went to with the squad. Or honestly unaware that he was not a single man, nor that he was with a woman in a happily committed relationship. 

_What if they tables were turned, Sonny? What if it was a bunch of dudes, trying to get in my pants?_

Her favorite go-to retort, when he would tease her. 

_I'd arrest them and throw them into a cell_

But that green-eyed monster always had a way to come back and bite Isabella right in the ass. And that took form in their two year old daughter, Carina. 

"Hoooonneeeeyyyyy!" 

Sonny, sitting on the floor of the living room, surrounded by wrecked barbie dolls and stuffed animals, watched with amusement as the toddler walked around their living room with a toy phone against her ear. 

"Hoonnnneyyyyy!" 

"Who are you talkin' to,  _topolina?"_ Sonny chuckled, as she waddled over to him. "Huh? Who are you callin' honey? A boy at the park?" 

Isabella made her way out of the kitchen, holding a sippy cup in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. "Who's she talking to?" she asked, setting both items down on the coffee table. "God, look at this place..." 

Sonny looked up at her, watching as she eyed the mess around them, her hand rubbing absentmindedly against her belly. They had just returned from their trip to Disney World, which was the reason for the mess. All of Carina's new toys, mixed with the old, were out for the day. Add in the suitcases agaisnt the wall and the basket of laundry on the sofa, the apartment was a bomb site. 

"I have no clue," he admitted, shaking his head. 

"Such a strange child, that one," his wife shook her head. "I'm gonna start dinner soon. Anything you want in particular, babe?" 

There was a shriek, which startled them both, as Carina turned around to glare at her mother. "What's the matta, Carina?" Sonny asked, turning around to face her. "C'mere, baby doll. Come to Daddy." 

Rushing to him, Carina knocked into his chest,  earning an "oof!" from Sonny. "Easy, easy," he said gently, as Carina grabbed at his shirt. "What's wrong?" 

"My hoooonneeyyy!" she pouted. "Mine!" 

"I'm your honey?" Sonny asked, a smile pulling at his lips. "You're my honey too, baby girl." 

But Carina shook her head, "My honey!" she stated again, placing her hand against her chest. "My honey." 

Isabella snickered, which earned her a scowl from Carina. "I think she's saying "Sonny," babe," she said, which earned an outraged cry from the toddler. 

"Hey," Sonny shook his head. "Carina, do not shout and scowl at Mommy. She's not doin' anythin' to ya." 

"Beeb," Carina pouted, tucking her face into his chest. "Beeb." 

Isabella couldn't help but laugh, watching as her two year old daughter, marked Sonny as her territory. Picking her up, Sonny held her up in the air, before bringing her down on his lap. 

"Don't be cranky," he said, as Carina clutched the collar of his sweatshirt. "You're my baby, just as much as Mommy's baby." 

"No, my beeb! My honey!" Carina squaked, her little face going red with each cry. "MINE!" 

Making her way towards them, Isabella squatted down as best as she could, balancing herself against Sonny's shoulder with a hand. "She might need a nap," she said, as Carina watched her; her cute little face, twisted with a scowl. "See if she'll drink her sippy and put her down for a little nap." 

Sonny nodded, "I'll do my best, Iz," he promised, as Isabella shook her head again. 

Leaning in, Isabella kissed him quickly, only to pull her head back in shock. "Ouch!" she cried, her hand flying up to her head. "Carina!" 

"Carina Rose! That was not nice!" Sonny exclaimed, taking the toy phone from her. "We do not hit people! Especially our Mommies!" 

Her eyes filling with tears, Carina threw her head back and screeched, as the first set of tears began to fall. "Daaadeehhhhhhh!" she cried, her arms stretched out towards him. "M-m-my daaadeehhh!" 

Scooping her up into his arms, Sonny stood up from the floor. "That was not a nice thing, Carina," he said, dropping the toy onto the sofa. "It's time for a nap now." 

He then turned and looked at Isabella, who was now standing up; her hand rubbing the sore spot on the side of her head. "Are you alright?" he asked, as she looked up at them. 

"I'm fine," Isabella waved her hand at him. "Just surprised me is all.." 

"I'm gonna put her down in her bed and I'll come out and clean up," Sonny said. "Just sit and relax for a bit." 

Disappearing down the hall with their wailing toddler, Isabella moved the stuffed animals over and sat down on the sofa. Laying her head back, Isabella closed her eyes and sighed deeply; her hands resting upon her belly. The firm kicks and swirls that came from the little girl within, soothed her. She wasn't surprised at Carina's outburst of jealously, which began while they were away in Florida. 

She scowled and fussed during photo ops with Disney princesses, or when Sonny helped complete strangers with the giant strollers or holding doors to shops open. She even threw a fit at the grandma, who rung up their dinner at the hotel, after she called Sonny "handsome" and Carina a "beautiful little girl,"

"Iz?" 

"Hmm?" she lifted her head up, turning her gaze towards Sonny. "Hey. Is she asleep?" 

Sonny nodded, moving to stand in front of her. "I think she was already exhausted, so the cryin' jump started her nap," he shrugged, reaching out to lay his hand against the side of her head. "Hmm, no bumps. You feel alright? Any dizziness? Blurred vision? Headache?" 

Isabella shook her head, laying her own hand upon his. Closing her eyes, Isabella leaned into the feeling of Sonny's fingers, tracing circles against her scalp. "She's got my jealously streak," she murmured, which made him snort. "Though.. she's worse than me. Resorting to violence against her pregnant mother..." 

"While I don't condone her behavior, it's probably because of all the changes going on," he admitted. "Between putting the baby's side of the room together and the physical changes with you..." 

"Yeah, I know," she sighed, looking down at her belly. 

Sonny sat down next to her, moving a plush Minnie Mouse to the side. "Doesn't help that she's been a terror since we came home yesterday..." he concluded. "Didn't nap like we'd hoped on the flight, was up all night in and out of bed..." 

"She's spoiled," Isabella stated, which made him snort. 

"Well, so are you," he shrugged. "It'll get better, babe. Once we get back on track, gettin' out of vacation mode, we'll be fine. She's not used to sharin' is all. I mean.. she almost ripped Ariel's wig off, remember?" 

She snorted with him, shaking her head while laughing. "But.. to go after me?" Isabella asked, as he placed a hand against her belly. "That's a first.." 

He nodded, "I know," he sighed. "I'm shocked, since she's always so cuddly with you. With the both of us."

"Could be the start of the "terrible two's" which both of our Mother's love to remind us about," Isabella shrugged. "Though.. I wish she would've skipped that stage, especially now that we'll have a newborn come November..." 

"We'll figure it out," Sonny promised. "I'll call Ma later or tomorrow. Four kids that woman had, so she's gotta know some tricks. Maybe Frenchie too. Or Liv and Amanda in that case." 

"We  _could_ always have Carina spend the night with Amanda," Isabella shrugged. "Scare her straight." 

Sonny laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, I couldn't do that," he said. "I gotta work with her. My terror of a child, would ruin our work relationship and our friendship." 

She sighed, "I guess we'll see what happens when she gets up from her nap," she concluded. "Oh, honey..." 

"Am I your  _honey?"_ Sonny teased, moving closer to her. "Hm?" 

"Oh yes," Isabella giggled, as she laid back along the sofa cushions. "You're definitely my  _honey,_ babe."  
  
Laying over her, Sonny leaned down to kiss her, laughing as well. "She's got an impressive language skill set," he said. "You gotta admit that, babe. I mean, she scolded me in Italian, at Epcot the other day. She called me a  _poulet_ because I wouldn't try duck and that... potato puree." 

Isabella laughed, "And we all know who speaks French in this house, besides Frenchie," Sonny continued, giving her a pointed look. "She's smart, Iz. Too smart for her own good, especially with that mouth of hers. I weep at the thought of her, in high school, talkin' back to her teachers and to people she doesn't like." 

"I'm sure she'll grow out of it," Isabella said, wrapping her arms around him. "And if she doesn't, we'll just stick her with her Auntie Amanda and Uncle Fin. Scare the piss outta her." 

"And I thought I was bad," Sonny shook his head. 

She shrugged, "Eh, when you want to be," she teased, pulling him down for a kiss. "I think I have a toy, pressing against my ass." 

He snickered, "I'll clean this mess up," he said, giving her another kiss. "What are you thinkin' about for dinner?" 

"Hmmmm... duck?" 

"Tease." 

Isabella giggled, "I have that fresh Salmon in the fridge from today's shopping trip," she shrugged. "I could bake it in the oven, make couscous or something for us. Grilled cheese for the baby." 

"Sounds delicious," Sonny nodded, giving her one last kiss. "I'll be in to help as quick as possible." 

Standing, Sonny helped her off the couch and to her feet. "I'm kinda glad it was our kid that threw a hit," Isabella admitted, as she started for the kitchen. 

"Oh yeah?" Sonny asked, as he picked up a half naked Belle barbie. "Why's that?" 

"Because if it were anyone else," she started, looking back over her shoulder at him. "I would be in jail right now." 

Sonny whistled, shaking his head. "My god, I pray this baby doesn't carry on the jealously streak," he said, as Isabella giggled. "Otherwise, Barba's gonna have his work cut out for him..." 

 


	23. the case file

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sonny stumbles across Isabella's case file.

Sonny cursed as the drawer to the file cabinet stayed in place, years of rust and being kicked in, making the Detective's job more difficult than it should've been. The basement of the sixteenth precinct smelled of dust and years of uncirculated air, with no windows or ventilation. Being that it was mid-August, Sonny was drenched. Five minutes into the room, he had his vest and tie off, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his hair hanging in his eyes. 

"C'mon, ya son of a bitch," he muttered, tugging on the handle. 

In the middle of working on a case, which had opened up after three years, Sonny had been sent down to the "crypt" to find old case files. 

 _You know, do somethin' other than sittin' around and bein' pretty_ as Amanda put it, when she handed over the list of names and case numbers. 

Two and half hours later, Sonny had found four of the ten files, which were stacked on the small table near the door. His back ached, from bending over file cabinet drawers. His knees cracked each time he squatted down, or knelt, before standing up again. Being sweaty on top of that, didn't help with his mood or how he felt. Being in a heatwave, in the middle of August, put a real damper on things; from the lack of air conditioning in the building to waling around smelling like a gym bag. 

 _Before you know it, it'll be fall_ Isabella reminded him, as he stood before the air conditioner the night before.  _Then, you'll complain about how cold it is._

 _No way. Fall is your season baby, remember? I wait half a year, just to see you dressed in plaid and pickin' pumpkins and eating caramel apples._ He teased her.  _I find you even more irresistible once the calendar hits September._

Finally, after a few hard tugs, the drawer came flying open, nailing him right in the shin. Gritting his teeth, Sonny let out a stream of curses in Italian, before glaring at the offending drawer of folders. He knew, that by the time he managed to find all ten files, there would be a nice bruise on his leg. 

"Palasky.." he muttered, squatting down to rifle through the tabs. "Palasky... Palasky.. Ah! Here we go. Louisa Palasky..." 

Out came the file, aged with discoloration, from years of being kept in a dark drawer. Setting the file down, Sonny went to shut the drawer, when the familiar surname on a tab caught his eye. 

_Palladino, Isabella._

Sonny felt the air rush out of him, as his hand hovered over the folder. After nearly fifteen years, Isabella's rape and the years of battling depression and putting the past behind her, had been sitting in a drawer just below his feet. Swallowing thickly, Sonny debated with himself on if he should read the file or not. He knew what had happened, based on what Isabella told him; that first week in their first apartment together. Over the years, she never spoke much about it, nor did he have the heart to ask her about it. The mental images that came along with thinking about it, his wife and the mother of his children, being violated in a bedroom of some frat boy at the tender age of nineteen. A virgin. Nine, almost ten years, of living in a shell and avoiding men because of it. 

He didn't realize what he was doing, until the bruised face of his then-nineteen year old wife, was staring back up at him. The busted lip, smudged mascara and the black and purple bruise along her cheekbone. Flipping through the photos, Sonny felt himself go through all the emotions; anger, sadness, disgust. 

The ring of bruises around her neck, her wrists, and upper arms along her skin; they littered her torso and breasts, down to her thighs and... Sonny had to turn the rest over, unable to look at anymore. The body he was so used to seeing, the same body he saw before he left for work that morning, was a far cry from this. 

Sonny stood and moved to the chair near the wall of file cabinets, sitting down with the file in his hands. He flipped through the report, reading Isabella's statement and report filled in by Olivia and Fin. 

_Victim has severe trauma to vaginal and anal cavities. Semen and hair samples collected from both, as well as under the fingernails and from mouth._

The results of her rape kit and the evidence collected, went on like a novel. Witness statements, follow up care in the weeks and months afterwards. It was all there. 

Also in the file, was the name of her attacker. 

_Jeremy Davidson._

A thirty-eight year old male, with no affiliation with Hunter College, attended a frat party at a brownstone in Chelsea. A penthouse, owned by some big CEO, had been gifted to his son and his "buddies" for their fraternity off campus. How a thirty-eight year old man got into a party, filled with teens, was the last thing he though of. 

What he did think of, was how this older man, attacked his wife at the tender age of nineteen. How, as she searched for her friend, she had been pulled into one of the bedrooms and raped for almost a half hour. 

Sonny had to stop reading, looking up at the ceiling; the light hanging down and covered with cobwebs, being in his line of sight. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, Sonny looked down at the remainder of Isabella's file. 

Jeremy Davidson had raped four other girls before Isabella, from January that year, and raped one more after Isabella. Only this time, he had brutally murdered the young woman, leaving her body in dumpster in Queens. 

He vaguely remembered that case, as that summer was a wild one; robberies, rapes and murders. He had been fresh out of the academy, as a patrol officer in the Bronx, already thinking what his next step would be; becoming a detective or rolling through the streets, hoping to find some kinda activity to make it feel like he was actually doing some good. 

_Bridgette Sampson_

She was a rich girl from Upper East Side. Twenty-two and a college graduate from NYU, heading for a master's program in Oxford. Davidson had met her at a party in Brooklyn, and offered to drive her home. Instead, as he testified, he drove her to an abandoned building four blocks away from the party and proceeded to rape her. Afterwards, he strangled and stabbed her, before dumping her body in Flushing. 

He had been caught, all thanks to two key witnesses and surveillance cameras from the parking lot, where Bridgette had been found. Two years later, he was sentenced to life with a possibility of parole, which angered Sonny so much. Now that he knew the cold hard facts, the fact this monster could've killed Isabella if he wanted to, was able to apply for parole every few years, made his blood boil. 

Right when they found out that they were expecting again, for the third time, Isabella found out about the parole hearing. Together with Sonny and Liv's support, Isabella wrote a letter to the parole board and Liv graciously took her place at the hearing to read it. Afterwards, when parole was denied, Isabella was able to finally breathe again. Able to focus on the life inside her, which would come only six months later, while putting the past behind her yet again. 

Finding that he couldn't read anymore, Sonny placed the file back into the drawer and closed it. The room became much to small for him, as well as hot, as he scrambled to collect the five files and his things. Storming back up to the pit, Sonny dropped the files onto the table, rushing to his desk. 

"Carisi...." Amanda started, as Sonny grabbed his phone, keys and jacket. "W-where are you goin'?" 

Sonny ignored her, as he rushed out, leaving his squad behind in shock. Liv placed her hand on Barba's shoulder, as the realization dawned on her. 

"He knows," was all she could say, as he looked at Fin. 

.................

It was a quarter to six when he finally got home, drenched with sweat. Chucking everything onto the table in the hallway, Sonny quietly and quickly made his way through the apartment. Carina, Evelina and baby Siena were all asleep in their rooms; the blackout curtains drawn shut and the air conditioners on full blast. 

Relieved, Sonny made his way towards the master bedroom, and pushed the door open. There, on their bed, Isabella was sprawled out on top of the sheets. The curtains were drawn shut and the air conditioner droned on, filling the room with an icy blast. Despite being so cold, Isabella was dressed only in a tank top and a pair of panties. The heatwave that hit the city, as well as the boroughs, had been a rough one. Day six and there was no break in sight, which worried them all. 

Setting the gun into the lockbox, which had been stored on the top shelf of their closet, Sonny made his way over to Isabella's side of the bed and sat down. 

"Hmm," she groaned, shifting slightly against the icebox of a mattress. 

"Iz.."he whispered, placing his hand on her thigh. "Iz..." 

She groaned, turning over towards him. "Wha?" she mumbled, her hand going on top of his. "Sonny?" 

He leaned forward and snapped on the bedside light, which made her whine. But he had to see her, see her face to get the image of it being bruised and bloody out of his head. Her hair in a frizzy and tangled mess around her head, Isabella's face was lined with the indentation of her pillow. 

"Meanie," she whined, as he reached out to brush her hair away from her face; his hand moving along side of her face. "You're home early." 

The sleepy smile and green eyes, barely visible as she kept closing and opening them. Her sun-kissed skin, lined with freckles and peeling slightly at the shoulders, after their weekend at the beach with her parents. Her hips and thighs with the extra baby weight that remained, seven months after Siena came into the world. 

"Had to see ya," he murmured, his thumb tracing along her bottom lip. "Couldn't spend another minute without ya." 

She let out a happy moan, pursing her lips to kiss the pad of his finger. "Missed you too, handsome," she sighed. "Wanna cuddle?" 

Sonny looked at her, watching as she laid her head back down on the pillow, her eyes closed. A smile stretched along her lips, as she placed her hand upon his, which rested along the curve of her neck. Her engagement and wedding rings, twinkled in the light; as their hands moved together with each breath she took. 

The way she looked now, an exhausted mother of three young children, was how Sonny wanted to remember her. He knew it would take a while to get the images,  of her bruised and bloodied body, out of his head. She was more than that. She was more than another victim on the list of Jeremy Davidson, who would rot in prison for the rest of his life, as far as Sonny was concerned. 

This was a woman who suffered for years, until she found happiness again, within herself and with someone other than her parents. She welcomed Sonny in her life, hesitant at first, before slowly gaining his trust and understand as the months went on. A woman who found happiness and her identity, which had been stolen from her that night. Who had sex and enjoyed it, learning that it could be on her terms and feel  _good._ A woman who fell in love and got married, like in the fairytales. A woman who had three babies, a great job, great friends and family. A woman who found her prince charming, her sunshine, after all her days of darkness. Who didn't look at her like she was used up and tainted, because someone else took everything from her without her consent. 

All of this, the accomplishments and battles they fought together, in the seven years they'd been together, was what Sonny saw when he looked at her. And the idea that it could've been her, not Bridgette, in that dumpster, was a like a shot to the heart.

A different life he would be living if that were the case. No Isabella. No Carina. No Evelina. No baby Siena. No Frenchie and No Antonio. No laughter or happiness, which filled their home every single day. The love of his life, long gone before they were ever found. A life that would've been different, something Sonny couldn't bring himself to think of. Not after seven years of making this family with the woman who said "yes" to being his wife. 

And right now, as she lay in their bed exhausted and without a doubt, battling some form of heat exhaustion, Sonny couldn't think of anything better than to hold her in his arms and feel her steady heartbeat under his hand. 

"I would love to," he said softly, watching as she opened one eye to look at him. 

"Hmmm, then get down to ya panties and come cuddle me," she slurred, which made him snort. 

Standing, Sonny stripped down to his bare skin, before quickly heading into the bathroom to wash up. Chucking the washcloth into the hamper, he pulled on a clean pair of boxer briefs, before making his way over to the bed. 

As soon as he hit the mattress, Isabella was on him like an octopus; arms and legs wrapped around him, as she buried her nose into his neck. 

"Hmmm, you smell sweaty," she sighed, as he wrapped his arm around her. 

"Want me to shower?" 

Isabella's hold on him tightened. "No," she whined, her hand splaying across his stomach. "Love you." 

Sonny pressed a kiss along her hairline, before tucking his nose into her hair. With his hand splayed along her back, Sonny felt the steady rhythm of her breathing. The rise and fall with each breath, as she fell back asleep; wrapped up and in the comfort of his arms. 

"I love you, too," he whispered back. 

She was real and she was there, right next to him. And even better, she was alive. 

And for that, Sonny would be forever grateful, that fate brought them together. 


	24. are you kitten me?

It was the late tail end of the summer, when Isabella was pregnant with their third child, that they found the kittens. A complete shock and accident of course, considering they were found in Noelle's vegetable garden, the weekend they were out on Long Island. With the pool up and the promise of barbecues, Sonny and Isabella packed up their four year old and one and a half year old in the car, and drove out to Long Island. 

"DADDY! DADDY!!!" Carina screeched, as the car pulled into the driveway. 

Carina stood near the back gate, jumping up and down, while waving her hands frantically. Seeing that, made Sonny panic, as he rushed out of the car and up the driveway. 

"What happened?" he asked, as Carina continued to jump. "Is it Mommy?" 

She frantically shook her head, "No!" she gasped, grabbing onto his hand and pulling him into the back yard. "KITTENS!" 

Huddled in the vegetable garden around a cardboard box, Noelle and Isabella were showing Evelina what was inside. "Look, Lina," Isabella gasped. "Kittens!" 

"Kitty!" the toddler squealed. "Kitty, Mama!" 

"I can't believe it," Noelle shook her head, smiling down at the little babies. "I knew that stray was pregnant.."   
  
Isabella looked up at her mother, "Stray?" she asked, as Noelle nodded. "What stray?" 

"Ah, I've been feeding these two strays the last few months," she shrugged. "They hang around on the front steps and in my flower garden. Very friendly, they are..." 

"Who are you and what have you done with my Mother?" Isabella asked, frowning. "Maman, you  _despise_ cats. You can barely tolerate Harry and Leia after five minutes, and it's like pulling teeth to get you to watch them when we go away..." 

Noelle rolled her eyes, "What would you like me to do? Let them starve?" she asked, as Sonny and Carina made their way over to them. 

Carina squealed, "Daddy! Look!" she exclaimed, pointing into the box. 

Sonny peered down and found three little kittens, meowing and trying to climb out of the box. One was a fluffy orange tabby cat with blue eyes, while the one next to it was also a tabby; black and grey striped, with a grey and white face. Sitting in the corner, meowing and hissing, was a long, white-haired cat, which Evelina kept pointing to. 

"Meow?" she frowned, looking up at her parents. "Meow?" 

"She's probably a little scared, "Isabella said, as she swatted at her siblings. "They're probably all alone out here, while their Mommy goes out to find them food..." 

Sonny squatted down next to her, wrapping his arm around Carina's waist. "I wonder how old they are," he said, watching them. "They're really small, Iz." 

Carina reached into the box and lightly stroked the orange tabby's head, giggling as it meowed at her. "Daddy, can we keeps them?" she asked, turning her puppy dog eyes to him. "Pleeeeeaassseeee?" 

"Honey, I don't know," Sonny shook his head. "We have two kitties at home already...." 

"I'll see if Laura Santiago's girl is working today at the vet, "Noelle said, standing up. "Bring them into the house, Isabella. Put a little bowl of water in there for them. The poor things are probably dehydrated." 

Standing, Isabella lifted up the box, placing her hand underneath, and stepped out of the vegetable garden. Picking Evelina up, Sonny followed them, while Carina skipped next to him. 

"I hope we can keep them, Daddy," she squeaked. "They're so little and cute! They can be new babies for Harry and Leia, while the baby in Mommy's tummy is a new baby for me and Lina!" 

"Rina.. we'll see," Sonny said, not wanting to get into the specifics of introducing two kittens to their cats at home. "Let Grandma take them to the vet to make sure they're healthy first. Then, Mommy and I will talk about it." 

And while he hoped that the three kittens were healthy, Sonny also prayed that his wife would do the right thing, and surrender them for adoption. In the process of looking for a new apartment, before their baby's arrival in November, adding two more kittens to the mix would be a game changer. But Sonny had a feeling, deep down, that he was already losing this battle.

 

.............

"All three of them are healthy," Isabella said, as Carina watched the kittens sleep in their makeshift bed. "The orange one is a boy, while the other two are girls..." 

"Yeah and what about fleas?" Sonny asked, as she put together a plate of food for the kittens. "Or gettin' them fixed?" 

Isabella sighed, "They're roughly ten or eleven weeks old, and the vet said to wait another couple of weeks to get them fixed," she shrugged. "Especially the girls, since they can go into heat as early as four months. But, she said to wait, that way they get used to their new surroundings. " 

Sonny sighed, "Iz, do you really think it's a good idea to add three more cats?" he asked. "You know that some of these apartment buildings have very strict rules, when it comes to house pets. It could get expensive.." 

"Sonny, we've been looking at pet friendly apartments, throughout Queens and even Brooklyn," she pointed out. "We decided that was very important, next to have safe the neighborhoods are, how good the schools are and how long of a commute it would take for us to get to work. Because, when we both found out about this baby, we had to include Harry and Leia in our moving plans.." 

"I just..." Sonny shook his head. "Look, I know you wanna save them all, baby. Trust me, I do. If I could, I'd be right there beside ya, makin' sure they were all safe and in lovin' homes..." 

She scowled, "But, ya gotta be realistic here," he continued. "We've got a baby comin' in three months..." 

"Sonny, we've had cats way before Carina and Evelina," she reminded him. "So, you cannot use that excuse this time around, because if that was a big concern to you, we would've found new homes for Harry and Leia..." 

He grumbled, "It's gonna be expensive." 

Again, Isabella rolled her eyes, "As to raising three kids?" she asked. "How often to we take Harry and Leia to the vet? Once a year? Twice if necessary? They've got a huge bag of cat food, and we rarely give them wet food. We don't go through litter like crazy, because I make sure that box is cleaned every single time they go in to poop." 

"Izzzzz." 

"The most we would need is one extra box," she shrugged. "And for vet care, we can always come out here. It's a half hour drive from our place to Oyster Bay. Or, we can talk to Harry and Leia's vet and see if they can cut us a deal. Dr. Lewis cuts us deals all the time, when we bring Harry and Leia in. Probably because he enjoys listening to Carina babble about how much she loves animals, and asks a billion questions when he does the exams." 

Sonny looked at her, seeing the hopeful and determined look on her face; one that he knew was hard to say no to, since Isabella usually got what she wanted. Within reason, of course. 

"Fine," he sighed, shaking his head. "But it's on you, Iz. So.. you better figure out how you're gonna get them back and forth from the vet, once you have the baby. Because let me tell ya, it's not gonna be easy raising two kittens, while bein' sleep deprived and carin' for two kids and a newborn." 

There was a meow, followed by a brush of hair around Isabella's ankle. Looking down, she smiled and carefully squatted down to pick up the grey tabby. "Hi, sweetheart," she cooed, as the kitten meowed again. "Did you have a nice nap? You were so sleepy, after getting all your shots today." 

She then turned the kitten to face Sonny, "Say hello to Daddy," she cooed, stepping closer to him. "Isn't she cute, babe? 

"Yeah, yeah," Sonny shook his head, as the kitten meowed at him. "Don't try to push them on me, Iz. Because I give it a week, before you start bitchin' and moanin' about how much work it is." 

"Don't be a dick, Sonny," Isabella rolled her eyes. "And look at Carina! She's clearly already invested in making sure they're taken care of." 

They both looked to their four year old, watching as she pulled the little dish towel up to cover the remaining two kittens. Turning, Carina beamed at her parents, standing up from her spot on the floor. Barreling into Sonny's legs, she squealed as he picked her up. 

"They're sleepin', Daddy," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. "They snore too! Just like you!" 

"Do they now?" he asked, tickling her lightly. "Grandma said you were asking the vet a lot of questions.." 

Carina nodded as he carried her into the kitchen. "Yeah! I was askin' if they were either boys or girls, and if they could drink milk!" 

He chuckled, "Well, they're probably weaned off of milk by now," he shrugged. "They can probably eat regular kitty food..." 

"I hope so. Mommy let me pick out some of their food, like the chicken and fishy ones," she giggled. "Because kitties like fish, Daddy. And I picked out little baby toys for them, and later we're gonna name them!" 

"Carina honey, remember Grandma named the white one already," Isabella said, as she emptied out the grocery bag. 

The little girl nodded, "I forgots," she admitted. "Grandma named the white one. She's cute, but she doesn't like her brother and sister as much..." 

Sonny watched as she pouted, upset at the thought, and prayed that both she and Evelina would grow to love their sister. "That's too bad," he said, shaking his head. "Maybe she's just...upset because she's in a new place. It's pretty scary, bein' pulled out of your home and brought to a new place." 

"Really?" 

"Oh yeah," Sonny nodded. "I mean, they went from runnin' around outside freely, to bein' put in a box. They're not used to people, doll. They've only been around their Mommy.." 

The four year old nodded, "But..." she started. "We're gonna love them, right? Just like you and Mommy love me and Lina and the baby." 

Sonny nodded, "But it's also gonna be a lot of work," he said, reminding her just like he reminded Isabella. "So, you gotta help out if you wanna keep 'em." 

"Of course I'm gonna help, Daddy," Carina scoffed, as if it was the most scandalous thing in the world. "Mommy says I can help feed them and read them stories before bed!" 

"Here we go, little girl," Isabella cooed, setting a little plate down on the floor. "Yummy food for the little baby." 

Setting the kitten down, Isabella watched as she began to chow down, her little front paws in the dish. Carina giggled, "Daddy, she's so cute," she cooed, watching the baby. "I can't wait to take her home and let her sleep in my room." 

"I know," Sonny sighed, watching the kitten. "C'mon, Rina. Let's go see what Grandma and Grandpa are up to.." 

...............

By Sunday, they were packing up to head back to Sunnyside. Due to leave that night, the girls spent the morning in the pool, while Isabella and Noelle went out to get another cat carrier. 

"Hey! Don't bite me, ya little runt!" Sonny scolded, as the orange tabby nipped at his foot. "You're lucky you're cute! Otherwise, you'd been goin' to a different home.." 

Joey snorted from the kitchen table, "Dude, why can't you just tell my sister no?" he asked, shaking his head. "You're like.. the man of the house." 

"Because I'm not one of those kinda guys," Sonny shot back, setting the laundry basket onto the chair. "Besides, if I told ya sister "no", I would be crashin' either here or with my parents. Preferably with a black eye, since she likes to throw a punch here and there.." 

The younger man snorted, as the screen door opened. "Zio Joey!" Carina shouted, as she threw the screen door shut behind her. "Did ya see my kitties?" 

"Of course I did!" Joey exclaimed, pushing his chair back to pull a wet and wiggly Carina onto his lap. "What are ya gonna do with them all?" 

"Play with them, of course!" the girl gasped. "They're gonna be my brother and sisters! So instead of one sister, I get two more! And a brother!" 

Joey snickered, "Good for you, kid," he shrugged. "Simba, Cupcake and Cosette will be very happy in ya house.." 

Sonny rolled his eyes at the given names, "Only Frenchie would name the diva cat somethin' French," he muttered. 

"Mommy thinks we should give Cosette to Grandma," Carina shrugged. "Can we? Grandma and Grandpa don't have any pets, Daddy. And I think Grandma loves her." 

"Maybe Grandma can keep all three of them," he remarked, which earned him an outraged cry. 

Carina shook her head, "No, Daddy! We are keeping Simba and Cupcake!" she insisted. "Don't be a meanie!" 

His brother-in-law snorted, "Yeah, Sonny," he mocked. "Don't be a meanie!" 

Before he could respond, the front door opened, followed by a "We're back!" from Isabella, which ended the conversation. 

"Hi!" Isabella smiled, as she came into the kitchen. "Where's Daddy and Lina?" 

"In the pool," Sonny said, accepting a kiss from her. "Did ya get what you needed?" 

She nodded, "I got an extra thing of litter, diapers and wipes for Lina and a few snacks for the drive back," she said, holding the bags up. "And a cat carrier for the babies." 

He nodded, "Well, they're runnin' around somewhere in the house," he shrugged, folding one of Evelina's dresses. "I think we should get these two fed and in the bath, Iz. We still have to pack and get everythin' into the car, if we wanna get out of here by seven.." 

"Will do," she promised, setting the bags down on the table. "Hey, dweeb," she teased, ruffling her brother's hair. "I hope you're not teaching my daughter anything, that would require me to beat your butt." 

"I would never," Joey gasped, scandalized, as he hugged his goddaughter to his chest. "My little princess is too pure for such corruption! Isn't that right, Carina?" 

Carina giggled, "But Zio Joey!" she cried. "You said if Mommy and Daddy don't catch me, that I can do what I want.." 

"JOEY!" Isabella shouted, as he snorted. "Dad, you better talk to your son in there! He's corrupting my child to join his dark side!" 

.............

With the car packed and two kittens in the carrier, Isabella stood with Noelle, as she cuddled Cosette. 

"Ah, my little beauty," Noelle sighed, kissing the kitten's nose. "You're gonna be a good girl?" 

"Maman, why don't you keep her?" Isabella asked. 

Noelle shook her head, "I couldn't separate her from her brother and sister," she said, scratching the kitten behind the ears. "She would be so lonely here without them..." 

Isabella snorted, "Cosette could care less about Simba and Cupcake," she shrugged. "Besides, she's definitely the kinda cat I can see you with. Long haired, white and snooty. That cat is totally French." 

"Are you sayin' I'm snooty?" 

"Well, I mean... if the shoe fits," she shrugged. "Tell me one good reason, why you wouldn't keep her." 

Noelle sighed, "Your Father..." 

She waved her hand at Noelle, "Mom, you're an adult," she said. "Daddy can't tell you that you can't keep a cat, and you know it. Sonny tries that and it works like.. only two percent of the time." 

"Yes, I know," Noelle rolled her eyes. 

"Just tell Daddy that you're keeping the cat," her daughter insisted. "The worst he'll do is complain, but I guarantee, he'll fall in love with her by the end of the week." 

Eyeing her daughter with a frown, Noelle went to the front door opened it. "Antonio, I'm keeping Cosette!" she shouted, as her husband stood near the driveway with Sonny. 

He turned and looked at her with a frown, before shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "I knew that was goin' to happen," he said to Sonny, who laughed. "I swear, these two get away with too much Sonny.." 

"Don't I know it," Sonny sighed, as Evelina whined at his feet. "I'm prayin' these two and the baby don't inherit it.." 

Turning back to Isabella, Noelle smiled. "I have a cat," she stated, which made her daughter laugh. 

"You have a cat," she confirmed. "Never though I'd see the day, but I think you'll be very happy with her." 

Cosette yawned widely, before butting her head under Noelle's chin. "Aw, she loves you," Isabella said, as she reached out to pet the kitten. "Yeah, she'll be much happier here with you guys. Between Simba and Cupcake, along with Harry and Leia, I think she would have a rough time." 

"Mommmyyy!" 

Carina came down the stairs, holding Cupcake in one arm. "Are we going now?" she asked. 

"As soon as we get Cupcake and Simba into the crate," she nodded. "Guess what, baby? Grandma's gonna keep Cosette here with her and Grandpa." 

The little girl gasped and smiled, "Really?" she asked, as Noelle kneeled down to Carina's level. "Oh Grandma, she's gonna be a happy baby with you and Grandpa!" 

Noelle laughed, "I think so too," she said, as Carina tickled the kitten under her chin. "I'll send pictures of her, so that her brother and sister can see her.." 

"Me too!" Carina giggled, as Isabella put Cupcake into the crate. "Be a good girl, Cosette!" 

Getting Simba into the crate, Isabella closed and locked the little door, before picking it up. "Let's get them into the car," she said, holding her hand out for Carina. "We have to get going, baby girl. Daddy's got work tomorrow afternoon and he needs to get some sleep." 

Packing up the car and saying their goodbyes, the Carisi's began their trip back home. 

..................

**Three weeks later**

"Well, well, well," 

Sonny jumped at the sound of his wife's voice, his head swinging towards her. Standing at the arm of the sofa, Isabella had her hands on her hips and a big smile on her face. 

"For someone who didn't want them, you sure look cozy with 'em," she remarked, shaking her head. 

He tried to find some explanation for her discovery; him sprawled out across the sofa, with Simba on his stomach and Cupcake on his chest; her little paws kneading against his shirt. It was late, almost after two in the morning, and Sonny was too wired to fall asleep. Coming off of a fifteen hour day, which started earlier that morning, Sonny changed out his clothes and crashed on the sofa. As soon as he laid down, the two kittens jumped up and plopped down on him. 

"What did ya want me to do?" he asked, as Cupcake yawned in his face. "Throw 'em to the floor?" 

"Just admit that you've fallen in love with them," Isabella smirked. "Go on." 

Sonny scowled at her, "Alright, fine!" he hissed. "I love 'em, the pains in the asses that they are. Gettin' into trouble and makin' a mess..." 

It had been quite the adventure, adding two kittens to their household; Leia had already appointed herself as the leader of the house, while Harry let them get into all kinds of trouble. The duo had taken to the kittens easily, much to Sonny's dismay, once they were set free from their carrier. After that, they were everywhere. From the sofa and beds, to sleeping in Sonny's slippers or in the bathroom sink. 

"Good," Isabella smiled,  reaching down to give his foot an affectionate squeeze. "How about you three come to bed? I'm lonely in there and you know what happens when you fall asleep on the sofa.." 

"I'm not doin' anythin' naughty, with two babies in the bed," Sonny said, as she carefully picked Simba up. "Haven't done that with Carina and Evelina, and I'm not startin' it now with these two." 

Isabella scoffed, "As if I want to have sex right now," she said, watching as he sat up with Cupcake. "I can barely get into a comfortable position to sleep in, Sonny. What makes you think I can find one to have sex?" 

Standing, Sonny wrapped his arm around her shoulders, while holding Cupcake to his chest with the other. "Alright.. bed.." he yawned, as Cupcake purred loudly. "Before these two decide to wake up and run around the house.." 

Making a quick stop to check on the girls, who were both respectively cuddled up with Leia and Harry, they continued their journey to their own bedroom. "Can we at least change her name?" Sonny asked, closing the door halfway. "I mean...  _Cupcake?_ Poor girl deserves somethin' a bit more normal.." 

 


	25. The Positives

**Carina**

Sonny sat on the bed, checking his watch again for the twentieth time, before looking up at the bathroom door. Only ten minutes earlier, Isabella had disappeared inside, leaving him out in the bedroom to wait. This all started because of a comment he had made, two days previously. 

_"What if you're like....pregnant? I mean... did you have your period this month?"_

What they thought was the stomach flu, turned out to be a question of "if", after three weeks of on and off puking and diarrhea. Ruling out food poisoning, since it went on for three weeks, Isabella was convinced it was just a stomach bug. 

_It's a bad strain this year, Sonny. The perks of working with children, who are still learning to wash their hands after using the bathroom..._

They had only been married for two months, returning from a two week honeymoon all over Italy. Still winding down from the craziness that was their wedding and honeymoon, they were still trying to get back into their normal routines. Work, sleep and sending out thank you cards to their guests. 

The idea of adding a baby to the mix, much sooner than they expected, scared him. Money was a bit tight, especially coming off of a wedding and honeymoon. It wasn't that they  _couldn't_ afford a baby, if it ended up being the outcome. They made decent money, and both had parents that would be willing to help out here and there. But it was just too  _soon._ Too soon to buy diapers and bottles. To buy an entire nursery set of furniture and everything else that came with having a baby. 

Sonny wanted kids, but he also wanted some time to be a newlywed. To have it be just "Sonny and Isabella," before adding a little Carisi to the mix. Lost in his thoughts, he was startled when the bathroom door opened. 

Isabella stepped out, holding the test in her hands; her eyes glued to the little white stick between her fingers. 

"What's it say?" Sonny asked, as she looked up at him. 

Her eyes were wide and her face was paler, if it were even possible at this point, considering she had no color to her face for days. 

"...."

"Babe," Sonny started, as he stood up from the bed. "What's wrong?"

Isabella turned the test over, "I'm pregnant, Sonny," she said; her voice a mix between awe and shock. "We're having a baby." 

Sonny blinked and didn't say a word, as he took the pregnancy test from her. The two pink lines in the little window, stared back up at him.

_Pregnant._

Isabella was pregnant. She was going to have a baby.  _They_ were going to have a baby. In a few months, it would be  _three_ people living in the apartment. Sonny, Isabella and a baby. Right now, in that exact moment, there was a baby growing inside of his wife. A baby that they created together. A honeymoon baby. 

Sonny felt himself sway, as the blood rushed from his head. 

"Sonny?" 

He looked up at his dear sweet wife, her eyes wide with concern. "Babe... are you alright? You don't look so good.." she said, reaching out to lay her hand on his arm. 

"I'm fine.." Sonny nodded, looking down at the test again. 

_Pregnant._

The last thing he heard, as he hit the floor, was a startled scream from Isabella as the world around him went black. 

..............

**Evelina**

 

"Only you would have a pregnancy scare, after going back on the pill," Sonny remarked, as Isabella sat on the toilet bowl. "I highly doubt that you're pregnant, Iz. It's probably the pill that keeps fuckin' with your periods.." 

In the bath, Carina squealed and splashed, while Sonny bathed her. "Easy," he warned, pushing her little toy duck towards her. 

"Yeah, well..." Isabella muttered, as she set a wet test onto the towel, before reaching for the next one. "I only stated the pill again, two days before we had that big night alone," she reminded him. "Fucking Valentine's Day..." 

Sonny snickered. "And it would be just our luck, getting pregnant now, after booking a trip to Disney!" she continued, as she peed on the stick between her legs. "I swear to god, Sonny. If I'm pregnant, I'm going to castrate you. I just  _lost_ the last five pounds I had leftover from Carina!" 

He sighed, "Just pee on ya sticks," he said, flicking soap suds at her. "I'm bettin' on negatives. You'll probably wake up tomorrow with your period and a cranky attitude." 

Opting to sit on the toilet, Isabella waited the three minutes it took, for each test to fire up an answer. 

"Okay, three minutes," Isabella announced, looking up from her phone. "Here we go.." 

Picking up the first test, Isabella let out a curse. "SHIT!" 

Sonny quickly looked over at her, "What happened?" he asked, as she picked up the next three sticks. "OH MY GOD!" she screeched, quickly looking up at him. "I"M FUCKING KNOCKED UP!" 

"WHAT?!" 

"SONNY!" 

"ISABELLA!" 

She began to cry, covering her face with her hands. There on the toilet, with her sweatpants and panties around her ankles, holding four pregnancy tests in her hands, Isabella Carisi cried over the news. 

Carefully and quickly, Sonny pulled Carina out of the tub and wrapped her in her penguin towel. Carrying her over to Isabella, he squatted down to get at eye-level, carefully prying one of the tests out of her hand. 

 _Pregnant_ the view screen read. 

"Well..." he shrugged, which made her look up at him. "Ah... it's gonna be alright." 

"Alright?" Isabella asked. "Sonny, we  _just_ booked the trip last night." 

He nodded, "Honey, Disney World will always be around for us to go to," he said gently. "We can always go when this baby is a little older, pending if you don't get pregnant beforehand..." 

She sniffled harshly, looking down at the tests in her hands for a moment. She then shook her head, looking back up at him and at Carina. Her sweet little baby, nearly two years old, watching her with a curious look upon her face. 

"No," Isabella said ."No, we're going to still go on the trip." 

"B-but.." he started. 

Isabella shook her head, "We're going," she said firmly. "We can't cancel now. By August, I;ll be at least six months. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to fly down to Florida by then." 

"But whatt are you gonna do, Iz? What about all the rides you wanted to go on?" Sonny asked, as Carina squealed in his arms. "You're not goin' on any roller coasters, if you're pregnant.." 

"We'll make it work," Isabella said, confidently. "There are child friendly rides that we can go on."

He sighed, "We'll figure it out, once we see the doctor," Isabella said. 

"Alright," Sonny nodded, giving her knee a squeeze. 

Isabella sighed deeply, looking back at the tests in her hands. "I can't believe you fucking knocked me up again, Sonny," she shook her head. "I swear to god, after this one, it's back to condoms!" 

This time he chuckled, standing with Carina in his arms. "I don't know Iz," he started, as he headed into the bedroom. "At this rate, you'll probably get pregnant with those too!" 

............

**Siena**

Isabella knew the test would end up positive, the moment she threw up into her Mother's rose bushes. 

The deathly glare she shot Sonny, as Noelle yelled at her for doing so, was enough for him to know that; especially when he brought home four different tests that night, when they made it back to Sunnyside. 

"I hate you," Isabella mumbled, smacking one of the tests against his chest. "I can never enjoy losing the baby weight, because you're always knocking me up after the last pound falls off.." 

"Ah, it's alright," Sonny said, following her out into the bedroom. "Think of it as a blessin', baby. Another little one in the house? Maybe it'll be a boy this time." 

Isabella scowled, "It better be," she hissed. "Because after that, no more. Three is enough!" 

He nodded in agreement, setting the test down on the dresser, before wrapping his arms around her waist. 

"Three is enough." 

............

**Eleanora**

It took three months of negative tests, before a positive one flashed before them. 

" _Let's have one more,"_ Isabella whispered one night, as she and Sonny rolled around in their bed. 

 _"One more what?"_ Sonny asked, as she kissed his neck. " _Party? We just had a one two weeks ago, Iz. I keep findin' napkins and shit all over the place."_

She giggled,  _"No, silly. A baby."_

_What? I thought you said three was enough?_

_Yeah... but one more wouldn't be sooo bad, right? C'mon, Sonny. Let's do it. Let's have another baby._

So they tried like crazy, testing her ovulation cycles and fitting quickies in between work and nap time. In the trash went the packet of birth control pills, while the condoms in Sonny's bedside table collected dust. 

But the first handful of tests, in those three months, all came back the same.  _Negative._

Sending the girls to spend the weekend with Nonna and Nonno on Staten Island, Sonny and Isabella locked themselves in their apartment and got to work. They had sex everywhere in their apartment, save for their daughter's bedrooms. It was a two day sex-a-thon, as Sonny put it, leaving them both exhausted and achy. And a little hopeful too, that one lucky guy would be the one to get the golden ticket. 

"Okay," Isabella let out a deep breath. "Ready?" 

Sonny nodded, "If.. if it's not what we want," he started, placing his hand on top of hers. "We keep tryin'. We'll go to the doctor and see what he says.." 

Isabella nodded, "Either way, I'm not gonna stop until I put a baby in ya," he said, smirking at her. "Until the doctor says it's impossible, we keep goin'." 

Turning the test over with her eyes shut, Sonny looked down and let out a yell. Throwing his arms around her, Isabella dropped the test in a startled surprise, as Sonny pulled her face towards his for a kiss. 

"Oh my god, oh my god," he chanted, squeezing her tightly to his chest. 

"W-it's positive?" Isabella cried out. 

"It's positive!" Sonny cried, as they swayed side to side. "We did it, Iz! We got a baby in there!" 

Grabbing the test off the counter, Isabella turned it over and laughed; the two pink lines stared back up at her, indicating that tall their hard work had finally paid off. Turning to look up at her husband, who had tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, she couldn't help but fall in love with him even more. 

................

**Theodore**

The one and only time they had a positive pregnancy test, came in the form of blood work. Eight and a half months after little Eleanora came into the world, it was their doctor that broke the news. 

They had only gone in for their annual physicals- Isabella for work and Sonny, because he was always the pro-active one when it came to their health. 

 _We're gettin' up there, Iz,_ he would always remind her.  _I'm halfway to fifty, while you're gettin' closer to leavin' the thirties behind.."_

_You're going to be forty-two, Sonny. You're not even halfway to fifty._

"I'm  _what?"_ Isabella asked, as sat on the exam table. 

"Pregnant." 

Sonny blinked, "Pr-pregnant?" he asked, the doctor nodded. "Doctor Kim... please tell me ya pullin' our legs here.." 

The doctor shook his head, "I'm not, Sonny," he said, smiling gently at the couple. "According to the blood tests we took last week, Isabella is indeed pregnant. I would say... roughly five to six weeks, though she would have to confirm it with her gynecologist." 

Nodding slowly, Sonny turned and looked at Isabella, who started at the chart behind Dr. Kim. "C-could you give us a minute, doc?" 

Collecting the results and Isabella's file, the doctor left them in the exam room to discuss the breaking news. The silence between them was heavy with shock. Not only because Isabella was in fact pregnant, but because it was so soon after Eleanora's birth. Which had been quite a fiasco, between trouble conceiving at first and being the roughest delivery out of the four.

"Baby..." 

"I'm pregnant," she interrupted him. 

She then turned to look at him, her eyes wide and her face pale. "I'm pregnant." 

Sonny nodded, "Yeah," he said. "You're pregnant." 

"What.. we didn't even..." she rambled, before falling silent. "Oh.  _Oh."_

It all came back to her; the night of the NYPD gala, where Sonny made his first appearance as Sergeant, a week after getting the results of his exam. With the kids spending the night with her parents, Sonny and Isabella were free to get crazy and have a little more wine. Of course, the influence of alcohol had it's price. Finding an abandoned janitor's closet, two floors away from the party, Isabella lost her panties and her baby-free womb fall in one night. 

"The gala," Isabella whispered, turning to look at him. "We had all that wine. You got handsy and we fucked like teenagers in that janitor's closet...." 

"Jesus..." Sonny sighed, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I remember that..." 

Isabella sighed, "What do you want to do?" he asked her, looking up. "Whatever you wanna do... if you wanna have it or..." 

But she shook her head. "I could  _never_ have an abortion, Sonny," she whispered. "Never." 

"Good," he nodded quickly. "That's good, Iz. I..I don't think I'd ever be fully alright with that either. I mean, it's your body and your choice, but part of me... part of me would feel guilty about it.." 

"This baby wasn't planned," she said, her hand now resting against her stomach. "But... but maybe it's a good thing. Maybe we were meant to have another one..." 

Sonny nodded, moving from the chair to climb up onto the exam table. "It's so soon though," he said, his hand upon hers. "It's gonna be rough, baby." 

"I know," Isabella said, smiling gently at him. "We'll make it work. The other four turned out alright in the end, right? What's to say this one won't ?" 

He snorted, "I love you." 

"I love you, too," Isabella said, resting her forehead against his. "But, we  _really_ need to talk about  _permanent_ birth control after this baby is born." 


	26. snow days

Isabella unlocked the front door, pushing it open with her shoulder, while juggling a few shopping bags in hand. 

"I think Mommy's home," she heard from the kitchen, as a stream of Italian music played in the background. "Just in time too, since we just finished her favorite snack." 

Carina giggled, as Isabella made her way further into the brownstone. "Mommmmyyyy!" she cried, as her Mother stepped into the kitchen. "Daddy and I made your favorite snack!" 

"You did?" she asked, setting the shopping bags onto the table. "What did you make me?" 

Coming around the counter, Isabella gave her eldest a quick kiss on the check, before moving over to her husband. "Hmmm, I smells so good in here," she said, as he breaded the chicken cutlets. "I love it when you cook, babe." 

Sonny snorted, "I know you do," he said, setting the cutlet into the frying pan. "And Rina and I made you breaded zucchini bites. I was goin' to fry 'em, but I figured you'd want them a bit softer this time around.." 

"Oh god, yes," Isabella gasped, eyeing the dish on the counter.

"Mommy must be really hungry, Daddy," Carina giggled, as Isabella picked up a breaded zucchini bite. "I always get hungry too, after seeing the doctors..." 

Isabella nodded, "I am very hungry," she said, watched as Carina picked at the bowl of shredded mozzarella cheese. "Did you have a good day at school?" 

Carina nodded, "I gots a project for vacation," she reported. "I gots to read a book and write about it. Daddy's gonna help me, to make sure my words are good." 

"Book report," Sonny said, shrugging. "She's also got a couple of worksheets to do, so I figured we'd get them all done either tonight or tomorrow. That way, she's got the rest of the winter break to be lazy.." 

"Good," Isabella nodded. "Have you been a good girl for Daddy?" 

Her daughter gasped, scandalized at such a question. "I'm  _always_ good, Mommy!" she cried, which made Sonny snicker. "I helpeded get Lina from school! And I helpeded Daddy with Siena, with her bottle and her diaper!" 

Sonny nodded, "She was great, baby," he said. "We put Siena down for a nap two hours ago, and Lina fell asleep halfway through a movie..." 

"So, Daddy said I could help make dinner!" Carina squealed. "And tomorrow, I gets to go with him to the store!" 

"For what?" Isabella asked, frowning. "I stopped at the store and got snacks and food for the kitties." 

Setting the bowl of raw egg into the sink, Sonny wiped his hands on the dishtowel. "Well, we need real food," he pointed out. "And probably another pack of diapers and wipes, just incase. They're sayin' this snow storm is gonna be real bad.." 

She sighed, "I hope you know, that Carina and Evelina are not going outside to play..." she reminded him. "They cannot afford to get sick, Sonny. Especially with Sienna..." 

"They know," he insisted, pulling her towards him. "How'd it go with the doc? Everythin' good?" 

"Yeah," she nodded. "He put me back on the pill, but it's only a progesterone based since I'm nursing. But even so, you still need to wrap it up for when we...do that." she said, glancing at Carina. "And I can start light exercising, like yoga or walking." 

Sonny nodded, "Good," he said, kissing her forehead. "Maybe when it's a little warmer out, we can take the kids for a walk. But... yoga's good. Maybe Carina will do it with you, since she's always curious about everything." 

Carina giggled, "She's a sponge, that one," Isabella snorted, as Carina continued to pick at the cheese. "Carina, if you keep picking at that, we won't have any to cook with!" 

"Yes we will, Mommy!" she nodded. "Daddy and I grated lots of cheese! For all the noodles and chicken boobies!" 

"Stuffed shells, chicken parm and the rest for whatever ya's want," he listed. "And, Liv said to take a few days. If the storms really bad, she doesn't want us trekkin' in unless we're needed." 

His wife gasped, "You mean," she started. "We get to have you home for almost an entire week?" 

She then turned to Carina, who giggled and nodded her head. "Surprise, Mommy!" she threw her hands up in the air. 

"Surprise, Mommy!" Sonny chuckled, wrapping both arms around Isabella's waist. "Liv figured you'd be really excited about that. And that I should let ya know, I'm on the bottom of the list with Rollins. Because of the kids. So.. thank god for them, right?" 

"Daddy, are we gonna do lots of fun things?" Carina asked. 

Sonny gasped in mock shock, "Are we gonna do lots of fun things?" he asked, as Carina nodded. "Of course we are! A whole week to do whatever we want!" 

Isabella giggled, moving into the dining room to unload the bags. "Be careful, Sonny," she warned, taking out the chips and cookies. "You say that now, but when you're the victim of Carina's salon, you'll be singing a different tune!" 

................

"How's she doin'?" Sonny whispered, stepping quietly into Siena's bedroom. "Is she eatin'?" 

Isabella looked up from the baby attached to her breast and nodded, "I think she's just cranky today," she whispered, as Sonny knelt down next to the rocking chair. 

Sonny nodded, reaching out to take old of Siena's hand, watching as flexed her little fingers around his own. "She's so big for two months, Iz. Carina and Evelina weren't as big as Siena is, when they were this old. 

"Well, she was only six and a half pounds at birth," she snorted, running her fingertips along the chubby and rosy cheek. "She was tipping to twelve and a quarter, at her checkup last week..." 

"The smallest out of the three," he sighed, watching as Siena lazily suckled away. "She's gonna be the one, that ends up being six feet tall, once she hits puberty..

She hummed in agreement, "What are the girls doing?" she asked. "It's awfully quiet out there, for you to be in here with us. What did you do to them, Sonny?" 

He snorted, "They're watchin' a movie in their bedroom," he reported. "And all the cats are in there with 'em. Cupcake and Leia are snuggled up with Carina, while Harry and Simba are keepin' Lina company." 

"Ahh, Evelina has a way with the boys," Isabella teased, much to her husband's dislike. "Well, hopefully that'll give us the bed tonight. The first night in how long, with two kids and all the cats?"

"Too long," Sonny scoffed. "It'll be nice to fall asleep, without havin' little toes pressin' into places where they don't belong." 

Isabella gave him a tired smile, "It would," she yawned. 

Standing, Sonny leaned down and kissed her forehead. "As soon as she's done, I'll come in a rock her to sleep," he said. "I want you to get ready for bed." 

"But..." 

"No, bed," Sonny shook his head. "You're  _exhausted,_ Iz. Everythin' will be alright, if you go to bed a little earlier than usual." 

Not wanting to push her luck, Isabella gave in and nodded. "Will you be joining me or do I have to cuddle a pillow?" she asked, pouting slightly. "And I mean you, you. Not you, glued to the I-Pad, reading up on snow storms and god knows what." 

Already heading towards the door, Sonny chuckled, "Yes, you'll get me and only me tonight," he promised. "I've given up on readin' the weather reports anyways. No matter what, we're goin' to get fucked by this blizzard." 

.............

The next day, while Sonny and Carina headed to the grocery store, Isabella juggled housework and caring for Evelina and Siena. 

"Alright, put your clothes in that drawer," Isabella said, handing three pairs of folded shirts to Evelina, who dropped them into the drawer. "Good job, Lina! Very good!" 

Evelina squealed, "More, Mommy! More!" she cried, bouncing on her toes. 

"We've got a couple more to put away," Isabella nodded, picking up the clothes from the basket. "And after this, I'll start lunch. Daddy and Carina should be home soon from the store, so we'll have to make something extra yummy and warm for them." 

With Siena asleep in her crib, after another feeding, Evelina was wide awake and showing no signs of slowing down for her nap. Between helping with the laundry and picking up her toys, the little girl kept going to the windows and peering out into the street. 

"No, snow?" she asked, turning around to frown at Isabella. "Where snow, Mommy?" 

Putting the last of her clothes away, Isabella led the two year old into the kitchen, moving to the refrigerator. "What should we make?" she asked, peering inside. "Should we have some leftovers? Daddy made all this yummy food, Lina. It's gonna take us a week and a half to eat it all." 

"'oodles n' cheese," Evelina asked for. "Peas, Mommy." 

Grabbing the tupperware of pasta and the shredded mozzarella, Isabella brought them to the counter. Grabbing a dish, she put together Evelina's lunch, before placing the dish into the microwave. She was in the middle of getting her sippy cup together, when the front door opened. 

"Go pee pee, Rina," Sonny said, as Carina whined. "Hurry!" 

There was a flash of purple, as Carina rushed down the hallway to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. "Jesus.." Isabella shook her head, moving to help Sonny with the groceries. 

"Sorry, babe," Sonny sighed, as she took a few bags from him. "She started whinin' in the car after we left the store." 

"It's alright," she insisted, as he followed her into the kitchen. "I was getting Lina's lunch together. Sienna's asleep..." 

Sonny nodded, "Lemme go check on Carina," he said, pulling his gloves off. "It's gettin' cold out there, Iz. Supposedly this thing is comin' earlier than anticipated!" 

Unloading the first few bags, Isabella stopped to bring Evelina her dish and cup. "Slowly,' she said, placing the bib around her neck. "It's hot." 

"I'll make ya lunch," Sonny said, as he followed Carina into the kitchen a few minutes later. "Go sit down." 

Setting her jacket down on the opposite end of dining room table, Sonny pulled his own off, dropping it on the back of a chair. "Place was crazy," he started, as he moved to unload a few more bags. "Carina had to sit in the top shelf of the cart, because I didn't want her to go missin' or get squished." 

"Did you get everything you needed?" Isabella asked, placing the box of teabags into the cabinet above the sink. 

He nodded, "We should be alright for the week," he said, shoving the plastic bags into the tote bag that hung off a hook. "Us, the kids and the cats. We have enough diapers for Sienna and pull ups for Evelina..." 

Asking Carina what she wanted for lunch, Isabella went to work on putting a dish together for her. "Good," she said. "I don't want to leave the house, unless we really need to." 

"You and me both," Sonny agreed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I even got us a thing of bubbles," he whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder. "For a late night bath.." 

"Did you now?" Isabella smirked, as his hand caressed her hip. "Hmmm, I hope we get to use those bubbles. I could use a nice bubble bath." 

Chuckling, Sonny gave her waist a squeeze, as he dropped a kiss against her neck. "Alright girls!" he called out, taking the plate from Isabella. "After this, I want you to get your book bag, Carina. We'll do your homework and your project now, that way you have the rest of the week to do stuff." 

.................

The first flakes began to fall a few hours after lunch, which sent Evelina into a frenzy. 

"SNOW!" she cried, jumping up and down near the windows. "SNOW! SNOW!" 

Setting the girls near the window, Sonny sat with them, watching the flakes fall. By six, there was a light dusting on the streets below, as the temperatures dropped below freezing; the worst of the storm just a few miles away over Jersey. 

"Did you make sure all the windows were locked," Isabella asked, as Evelina stood against the sliding door. "Especially the door to the patio? The last thing I need, is for one of them to get out there. Or for one of the cats to get out and disappear.."  

"Everything is locked," Sonny promised. "And we have the safety lock on that door, Iz. That was the first thing we did, when we moved in." 

Leaving their two-bedroom apartment, shortly before Siena's birth, Sonny and Isabella moved their growing family to a four bedroom house a few blocks away. A once in a lifetime chance, after several disappointing visits. Almost giving up on hope of finding anything in the neighborhood or near by, they were considering Staten Island. But, when their real estate agent found the two-family unit, they were quick to see it. Then, they were quick to sign for it, seeing that no one else came close to buying it. Moving, two weeks before Sienna's birth and the holidays, they only had half of their home set up by the time Siena came home from the hospital. 

"At least we're stuck at home," Isabella sighed, leaning against his side. "Neither of us would be able to go into work, let alone come home if this happened last week..." 

"Thank the lord,' Sonny snorted. "It's bad enough, makin' the trek with the weather..." 

Evelina let out a squeal, as a bird landed on the railing of the terrace, hopping its way towards the bird feeder; one of the many miscellaneous garden items, that Carina and Sonny picked out that fall. Turning around, Evelina placed her fingers on the glass of the sliding door and beamed. 

"Snow!" 

"That's right," Sonny chuckled, as she squealed. "It's snowin', Lina."

The toddler turned back to the window, gasping as the another bird landed next to the other. "We should probably get them bathed and in bed," Isabella whispered. "Sienna should be up soon for a feeding and a diaper change..." 

He nodded, "I'll get these two rounded up," he said. "You tend to SiSi and afterwards? You, Me and a bathtub full of bubbles." 

Isabella giggled as Sonny kissed her forehead, "Thank god for snow storms," she murmured, as he let her go to head upstairs." 

"Alright Lina," Sonny clapped his hands, making his way towards the little girl. "Let's get Carina and you two can take a bubble bath. Afterwards, I'll read you two a story about Frosty the Snowman." 

 

 


	27. doubts

Sonny pushed open the front door to the apartment, sixteen hours after he walked out of it, finding it completely dark. Sighing deeply, he dropped his keys onto the hall table and shut the door behind him, twisting the locks. 

"Iz?" he called out, moving further into the apartment, pulling at his tie. 

From the bedroom, in the back of the apartment, he could hear the television. Moving past the living room, which housed a majority of their Christmas decorations, down the hall towards the bedroom, Sonny slowly removed his jacket and began to unbutton his waistcoat. Pushing the door open, Sonny stood in the doorway, taking in the sight before him. On the floor, in front of their bed, Isabella sat indian style with a bunch of pillows behind her back. Next to her, sat a laundry basket filled with socks and what looked like their underthings. In front of her, were two separate piles of socks and underwear. 

On the television, was another episode of  _Will & Grace, _which Isabella had begun marathoning shortly after the holidays. 

"Hey..." he said quietly, watching as she turned to look at him. 

"Hi," she responded, lowering the bundle of socks in her hands. "Did you just get in?" 

He nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah," he said.

Isabella nodded slowly, "There's leftovers in the fridge," she shrugged. "If you're hungry of course.." 

"I'm gonna take a shower,' Sonny said, pushing away from the doorframe. 

Isabella watched as he disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The sound of the shower fan going on, followed but the stream of the shower, made her sigh deeply. It had been a rough few days for the newlyweds; between work, winding down from a busy holiday season to doctors appointments, there had been a lot of stress and tension between the couple. All because of the sudden, unexpected and unplanned surprise of a baby. Their baby. The one Isabella was currently three and a half months pregnant with. Sure, they were happy about the baby. Once the initial shock wore off, mostly that is, they were excited. Scared as all hell, but excited. They spent all of December, up until the week before Christmas, planning how they would tell their families. 

Christmas came, as did their big announcement, and went; the squad found out a few days later, on New Year's Eve. Everyone was happy. Overjoyed. A honeymoon baby, both surprising and a 'blessing' as their family and friends put it. Everything was going great, as far as Isabella knew. Then, the holidays ended and Sonny's attitude suddenly changed. First, it was the littlest things like his change in mood, which Isabella took as him being just exhausted from working. Rough cases and court were running high, from what Amanda had told her a few nights earlier. 

" _A lot of stuff that happened during New Year's and afterwards,"_ Amanda sighed. " _We've got like.. five cases open all from New Year's Eve alone. Barba's runnin' us through the ringer, tryin' to find credible evidence for charges. Sonny's been takin' on a lot of it, for whatever reason. Doesn't want to stay at the station and do the computer work..."_

Of course, that alone concerned Isabella. She knew that Sonny went out to question victims, witnesses and the potential perps. But he mostly preferred to stay behind to do the computer work, being the only one that knew how to do it. He had long given up teaching Fin how to use the new system that SVU upgraded to, last Spring. 

And of course, Isabella confronted her husband about it, when he came home one night after three-thirty in the morning. And that's when the fighting began. When Sonny snapped and went off on his wife, who was only expressing her concern about the amount of hours he was putting in and the lack of sleep he was getting. 

" _Well, one of us is gonna have to work overtime, now that you're pregnant!"_ he snapped at her. " _Cause it sure as hell won't be you!"_

_"I didn't ask you to work like an animal, Sonny! You're acting like we're struggling to make ends meet, when in reality, we're not!"_

They bickered until the first rays of sunlight came through the window, before Sonny gave up and left for work. They started again, later that night, when he came back after a long day of work. This time, Isabella wasn't as concerned about his wellbeing, since he showed his ass earlier that morning. 

_"Just say that you don't want the baby, Sonny! Just SAY it!" Isabella urged. "Do you want me to get an abortion? Huh? Because if so, I'll find somewhere to get it done!"_

_"Don't be a fuckin' idiot, Isabella!"_

_"Then TALK TO ME!" she yelled, which shut him up. "Tell me what your problem is, Sonny! Do you not want this? Because, I thought you did!"_

_"I do want the baby," he said weakly, looking away from her._

_Isabella shook her head at him, looking on sadly. "Doesn't feel like it," she whispered, her hands coming up to rest against the curve of her belly. "Until you can look me in the eye and tell me that you want this baby, I don't think we should share a bed together."_

_Sonny had scoffed to that, rolling his eyes at her. "C'mon Iz," he sighed, as she shook her head at him. "Are you serious right now? Where the hell am I gonna sleep then?"_

_"You'll figure it out," she said. "I just...can't be close to you right now. Not while you resent me for getting pregnant, along with the baby."_

Now, two days later, Sonny was feeling horrible about the entire thing. As he stood under the hot stream of the shower, staring at the rack of Isabella's shampoos and body washes, he replayed that fight in his head. Rinsing off, Sonny turned the water off and stepped out onto the bathmat. Grabbing the towel off the rack, Sonny wrapped it around his waist and spent the next half hour sitting on the counter in silence. 

.................

During the time Sonny took in the bathroom to shower, Isabella paused the episode that she was on, to get a snack. Part of her wanted to knock on the bathroom door, just to ask Sonny if he was alright. But at the same time, she didn't want to be screamed at for caring about his wellbeing. It was her fault, after all, that they were in this fight. All because her ninety-nine percent, pregnancy proof birth control failed on them, during their honeymoon. 

Grabbing a bag of chips out of the cabinet, Isabella filled up a cup of water and carried it back into the bedroom. Settling down on the floor, Isabella had picked up the remote to restart the show, when the bathroom door opened again. The steam rushed out of the bathroom, as Sonny walked out, moving towards the dresser. Isabella watched, from the corner of her eye, as he dressed quietly in pajamas. Restarting the episode, Isabella opened the bag of chips and tried to put all her attention to the television in front of her. 

She could hear him putting away his gun, the lock box hidden in drawer of his bedside table. His watch dropped between the alarm clock and a framed wedding picture; their two smiling faces, which seemed like a lifetime ago, greeting them every morning. Isabella tried her best to ignore him, as Sonny sat down on the floor next to her; his body heat radiating off and into her personal space. The smell of his shampoo and whatever body wash she had in the shower at that moment, infiltrating her senses. Turning her head, Isabella's eyes met with his own, and she could see how bloodshot and glassy they were. Her husband, who worked so hard and stressed himself out too easily, looked at her with guilt and sadness. 

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, looking down at his lap. 

God, Sonny Carisi made it so hard to stay mad at him for long. 

"Sorry for what?" Isabella asked, pausing the DVD again. "For... screaming at me when I asked if you were alright?" 

Sonny winced, "Or are you sorry for screaming at me, because I'm pregnant and it wasn't scheduled perfectly for your connivence?" 

"For everythin'," Sonny said, looking at her again. "I'm sorry for screamin' at you, Iz. And for makin' you think that I didn't want this baby, because I do want it." 

Isabella looked at him and saw the yearning look in his eyes. "I do," he continued, nodding his head. "I'm fuckin' scared though, ya know? I mean.... yeah, we're stable financially and all that shit, but I'm still scared. We could be millionaires or whatever, and I'd still be scared because this is a big thing." 

"I didn't marry you for money, Sonny," Isabella frowned. "We have savings and if we have to cut back on stuff, you know we can..." 

He nodded, "I know," he sighed. "I.. I just.. I thought we were goin' to have a little more time to prepare. To get our ducks in a row and things settled, before tryin'....." 

She reached out and took his hand, touching him for the first time in days. Sonny squeezed her hand tightly, afraid that she would pull away suddenly. "Baby, there's never a "good" time for a baby," she reasoned. "I'm scared too, you know. There's a lot that's going to change for us, between putting this place together for a newborn and between us.." 

Sonny looked down at their joined hands; her engagement and wedding rings, sparkling in the glow of the television. "And... you shouldn't be driving yourself into the ground, working the way you are," Isabella continued. "Are.. are you pulling long hours because you're worried about our finances? Or.... is it because you don't want to be here? Around me? And the baby?" 

"It's not that I don't want to be here with you," Sonny said quickly, turning his body to face her. "It's not." 

"Then why are you?" Isabella urged. "Because I talk to Amanda and Olivia enough, to know that you really don't have to be at work until a quarter to three in the morning. That, unlike you, everyone goes home by eleven-thirty on a "good" day, while you stay behind with the excuse of paperwork." 

"If I don't work the hours, how are we goin' to pay for things?" he asked, shaking his head. "Do you understand how much we're goin' to need, before the baby comes?" 

Isabella nodded, "Which is five months from now," she reminded him, watching as he sighed. "Sonny, I'm not expecting top quality furniture, for a fucking baby. Our kid doesn't need a thousand dollar crib or designer clothes, which he or she will shit through and vomit on." 

He let out a surprised snort, which made her smile. "We're going to be  _fine,"_ she insisted. "It'll be tight, but we'll manage. Hell, we lived on a budget when we planned our wedding. Sure, our parents split the costs and helped out, but we still paid for it. And I know that, if we were really struggling, they would help out." 

"Yeah, but still..." 

But still, what?" Isabella threw back at him. "What, Sonny?" 

"I'm supposed to take care of you two," Sonny said. "What kind of husband and father would I be, if I couldn't support a household?" 

Isabella nodded, "Sonny, I'm not asking you to kill yourself in the process," she said. "We both work. And luckily for us, New York City passed a paid family leave act. Granted, school will be out by the time this kid jailbreaks. And, I still get paid in the summer, even if I don't work. The joys of being a teacher, suddenly look bright after years of slaving away." 

"So.. budget everythin'?" Sonny asked, as Isabella nodded. "How do you budget a baby?" 

"Well, my darling husband," Isabella started, rolling up the sleeves to her shirt. "Coupons." 

He frowned, "Coupons?" 

She smirked, "The greatest invention since... well... I don't really know, but seriously. Coupons." 

"What the hell do you coupon? The baby itself?" 

"No, silly," Isabella snorted, shaking her head. "We can coupon literally anything and everything! Food, toiletries, paper goods and cleaning supplies. Hell, you can even coupon diapers, wipes and formula.." 

Sonny looked skeptical at the whole idea, "Trust me," Isabella said, shaking him lightly at his arms. "It's fun! We get the Sunday paper and you go through the inserts and match with the sales for the week. You can even get coupons  _online_! Plus, I think we can get coupons from different companies for diapers, which we'll need a lot of. Maman even found a reward thing from Pampers, which sends you like, free boxes of diapers. BOXES, Sonny." 

He watched as she continued to go on, "If we ever had another bad hurricane, our child could use their own diapers as a floatation device!" she exclaimed. 

"Okay, okay," Sonny laughed. "I get it. Coupons and rewards programs, mean free stuff and savin' money." 

"It's going to be fine, Sonny," Isabella said, as she sobered up. "You don't have to stress yourself out work double shifts, every single night of the week. If we stick to a budget, cut out all the useless crap, we'll be fine. I'll have my student loans paid off by next March. We can always figure out yours and see about getting the monthly payments reduced.." 

Sonny shook his head, "Then that'll be more time and interest bein' built up," he sighed. 

"So, let's figure it all out tomorrow," Isabella said. "Unless.. you're going to work tomorrow..." 

"No," Sonny said. "Liv threatened me with suspension if I walked within a two block radius of the friggin' buildin'." 

She giggled, "Then tomorrow, we'll sit down and figure out a budget," she nodded. "We'll get out all our bills and figure out what we owe, what our new expenses are going to be and go from there." 

He nodded, as Isabella scooted closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "No more working nearly twenty-four hour shifts," she said. "And no more fighting. I hate fighting with you, Sonny. This is a big, life-changing event that we didn't expect so soon in our marriage. But.. I can't go another day, with the two of us being mad and not speaking to one another. I can't do this on my own and I can't do this with you being angry at me." 

"I'm not angry at ya," Sonny insisted.

"Then tell me that you're happy about this," she said. "Even if you're scared shitless about it, because I am too. I'm going to be pushing a baby out of my vagina in five months. That image alone, scares the shit out of me." 

Sonny let out a startled laugh, as he nodded. "I do want this baby," he said sincerely. "I've always wanted babies with ya, Iz." 

She smiled at him, "Thank god," she sighed in relief. "Just.. talk to me, Sonny. You were so good with telling me how you felt about things. But here comes a baby and you just stayed away, instead of telling me how you felt. You can't do that. You  _need_ to talk to me about it." 

"I know," he sighed. "I'm really sorry, Iz. I'm so ashamed of how I've acted...you don't deserve that. They don't deserve that." 

He placed a hand on her belly, just as it grumbled, making Isabella blush. "Sorry," she said, biting her lip. "I've been gassy today and it doesn't help that I had leftover sausage and peppers..." 

"God, Iz..." 

"And I'm still hungry too, which is the worst part," Isabella whined. 

Sonny frowned, "How is that worse?" he asked. "You're gonna be blastin' out sausage and pepper farts all night! I can't even open a window, since it's below thirty out there.." 

Isabella smacked his shoulder, "Get used to it, buddy," she warned. "I've got five months of gas, just ready to explode!" 

..................

Later, after warming up leftovers for Sonny and finding a box of crackers for Isabella, they cleaned up the laundry and got into bed. 

"Did..." Sonny started, as they lay under the heaviest comforter they owned. 

Isabella lifted her head up to look at him, "Would you've gotta an abortion if I had said yes?" he asked, closing his eyes as the words left his lips. 

She shook her head, "I would've left you," she admitted, as he kept his eyes on the window. "It would hurt and I know I would still love you, but I would choose this baby over you, if you said yes. Because the man I married, promised me a life filled with love and a couple of kids." 

"Good girl," Sonny said, his arm tightening around her waist, as he dropped a kiss to her forehead. "When's ya next appointment?" 

"Tuesday, I think," Isabella mumbled, pressing her face into his neck. "Taking an extended lunch." 

Sonny yawned, "I'll see if Liv can let me free, that way I can meet ya there," he said. "I didn't go to the last one and that's not right. I should be there, for every single one." 

Isabella hummed, "S'okay if you can't," she insisted. "They're not doing anything important this time. Just seeing how much weight my fat ass gained, followed by a sonogram and probably some blood extraction. 

"Still goin'," he insisted. "I'd be a horrible father, if I didn't see my kid." 

"You will not," she whined. "You're a great father, Sonny. Even long before we got pregnant, you've been a great father." 

He snorted, "Yeah, to cats," he reminded her. 

She nudged him with her toes, "You know what I mean," she said. "You're going to be an  _exceptional_ father, Sonny. I could and would never do this with anyone else, besides you." 

"Yeah?" Sonny asked.

"God, yeah," Isabella said, snuggling closer to him. "Do you think I go around, getting pregnant by just anyone?" 

Sonny snickered, as she pulled the blankets up to her chin. "You better not," he said, shifting his hold on her. "Ready to sleep?" 

She nodded as he fixed the blanket, pushing it down from her face. "Sleep," Sonny said quietly, pressing a kiss to her nose. "I love you." 

"Love you too," Isabella mumbled, from her cocoon of blankets and Sonny's arms. 

 


	28. the handyman and his helper.

The awful banging sound, rung through the apartment, making Isabella clench her teeth; it was the only way to keep herself from snapping, as she finished putting away the laundry in the master bedroom. 

"Alright...so now we have to put these two pieces together.." she heard from the bedroom next to theirs. "I don't know,  _topolina._ Maybe we should just get rid of these old toys, since you barely play with them anymore." 

Isabella heard the outraged cry from their one and a half year old, as she stuck by her Daddy's side all morning. Setting the basket on the floor by the dresser, Isabella made her way out of the master bedroom, down the hall and into Carina's room. On the floor and strewn about, were pieces to a new wall unit, along with directions and the box it came in. Fresh off the shelf in the Ikea warehouse, during a last minute trip the weekend before, Sonny was finally putting it together. After some pouting and begging from his wife of course. 

"No?" Sonny chuckled, as he grabbed the next piece from the pile. "This thing better fit all those toys then. You saw how Mommy got, walkin' through that place. I'm lucky I didn't walk out of there buyin' you and entire new bedroom set." 

"That's because you get all twitchy when I mention a toddler bed," Isabella said, scaring him in the process. "What is all the racket, Sonny?" 

He turned to face her, "Carina's helpin' me," he shrugged, as the little girl squatted down next to him. "She's got her little tool kit here and she's gettin' her wall unit together." 

Sure enough, Carina's chubby little fingers were wrapped around a plastic hammer, one of many pieces to her pretend tool kit. It had been one of many Christmas presents that Sonny had picked out, finding humor in how adorable it was. 

_"It's better than gettin' a toy gun, Iz. And since we're always buyin' shit from that Swedish store you love, it'll be cute to have Carina help out."_

A simple plastic tool box, the set came with the usual suspects in the tool category; a hammer, screwdriver, wrench, saw and drill. And Carina  _loved_ it. Especially the little green and silver hammer, which she used mostly as a deadly weapon than for it's actual purpose. And while Sonny had his own set of grown up tools, kept far away from Carina, Sonny praised his little girl for her hard work and help. 

"Okay Carina, let's get this screw in.." Sonny said, moving to place the screw into the hole. "Go on! Hit it with the hammer!" 

"Ah!" Carina shrieked, brining the plastic hammer down onto the screw. Her little arm flew up and down, while the banging got louder and louder. Isabella watched, half amused and half irritated, as Carina giggled and shrieked. 

When Sonny called for a time out, he made a show of inspecting her work. "Very good," he nodded, beaming at the girl. "You are such a great helper, Carina. I don't know what I'd do without you!" 

Then he turned to Isabella, "Wanna take her to get a snack?" he asked. "Just so I can get all the screws in? Once I connected these two panels together, she can help me put the drawers in.." 

"Thank god this thing doesn't require tracks for those," Isabella sighed. "And that you're almost done with this thing, because I can't take another second of the banging..." 

"You and me both," he agreed, as Carina plopped to her diaper-clad bottom; her little hand waving the hammer about at him. "Wanna get cookies, Carina? We'll take a quick break, that way you can get some cookies!" 

Carina's head turned quickly towards Isabella, before she turned back to Sonny. "Mama, cookie?" she asked, pointing her fingers at Isabella. "Cookie?" 

Isabella nodded, "Mommy's got a whole new box of cookies, with little Carina's name on it," she cooed, which made Carina squeal. "Come! Let's get some cookies." 

Chucking her hammer to the side, Carina stood on wobbly legs, with the help from Sonny and took off towards her mother. "We'll be back," she promised, reaching down to take Carina's hand into her own. "Let's get Daddy come cookies too, Carina. And maybe a drink, since he's been working really hard all morning..." 

..............

The next time Isabella found the two working, side by side, was when the toddler bed arrived. Approaching two, Carina went from a little newborn, to a infant to toddler. She could walk, talk (a few words and broken sentences) and do so much more. And with Isabella being pregnant now, only thirteen weeks gone by that point, it was time to transition from a crib to a bed. 

" _We're gonna need the crib for the baby, come fall,"_   _Isabella reasoned, as Sonny tried to hold off on it. "What are we going to do, come November, when we bring a baby home? Have them share the crib?"_

This time, much to Sonny's relief and insistence , they bought the bed from Pottery Barn. A bed that, while it was a bit more expensive than previously planned, would hopefully fit in the soon to be shared space . A bed that was elegant for their little princess. 

Getting the bed together proved to be quite the obstacle, since it had so many pieces. And like the crib Sonny had put together for Carina, having a sturdy bed was is top priority. The last thing he wanted, was for the bed to collapse with her on it. So when the bed arrived on the same day as the mattress, Sonny got down to work, opening the boxes and reading all the instructions that came with it. By noon, he only had two pieces to the bed frame together, before Isabella called for reinforcements. Coming with food and extra hands, Joey and Antonio went to work, helping Sonny put the bed together. 

"I help! I help!" Carina shouted, as she stomped into her bedroom; her little tool kit in hand. "I help, Daddy!" 

" _Topolina,_ there's a lot of pieces on the floor," Sonny started, as Carina sat down on the carpet. "You can't help this time.." 

She let out a outraged growl, "I HELP! MY BED! I HELP!" she shouted, which made Joey snort. 

Antonio sighed, "It's alright, Sonny," he said. "Let her bang on the box or somethin'. Or let her sit right next to ya, so she can watch." 

"Sonny, she doesn't want to do anything else, " Isabella said, as she eased down into the rocking chair. "I bribed her with everything and anything I could think of, but she wants to help you." 

He looked from his wife to the sweet face of his little girl, who pouted and batted her eyelashes at him; her blue eyes growing wet with the promise of tears. She was just like her Mother in that aspect, when she wanted something from him.

"Fine," Sonny sighed moving the bag of screws and other pieces away. "Sit right here, Carina." 

Squealing, Carina crawled over and sat down next to him, looking up with a smile on her face. "Now, I don't want you to touch anythin', understand?" Sonny asked, pointing to the objects before them. "This is different from all the other stuff we've put together. Just watch and don't move." 

And Carina did just that, as Daddy, Grandpa and Zio Joey put together her big girl bed. By the time the frame was up, they placed the mattress down and dressed it with new sheets. 

"Well?" Sonny sighed, hands on his hips. "What do you think, Carina? Do you like it?" 

Carina stood in front of him, staring at the bed that was now against the wall, where her crib once stood. The crib had been moved to the opposite side of the room, as they began the process of splitting the room down the middle for two children. 

"It's a beautiful bed, Carina," Isabella noted, as she wrapped her arm through Sonny's. "And it looks extra comfy." 

The little girl shook her head, "No," she said, turning around to push between her parents. "No." 

Antonio and Joey snorted, "No?" Sonny asked, as Carina dug through her toy box. "What's wrong with it, Carina?" 

"No like," she said, deep in the confines of stuffed animals and miscellaneous toys. 

"Oh boy," Antonio chuckled, as Carina reappeared with an armful of toys. "You two are gonna be in for a hell of a ride..." 

Joey cackled in the corner of the bedroom, as Carina tossed all her toys onto the bed, turning around to smile sweetly at her parents. "Bed for dollies," she announced, her hands on her hips. "Not for Rinas. I sweeps wif Mommy n' Daddy." 

Sonny groaned, as Isabella rubbed his back soothingly. "This is not what I was expectin'," he mumbled, as Carina giggled. "Carina Rose, you're gonna be the death of me, little girl." 

...................

Sonny walked into work wearing sunglasses, on a rainy day in July. Sunglasses. Something he only wore while out on the beach or at the park, on his days off. Not on rainy days and certainly not to work. 

"Party hard last night, Carisi?" Fin snorted, as Sonny sat down at his desk. "What's with the shades?" 

"Nothin'," he mumbled, dropping his phone and house keys into the desk drawer. 

Amanda reached over and snatched the glasses off his face, ducking as he swung his hands at her. "Whoa there!" she gasped, the glasses going limp in her hands. "Did Iz throw a punch at you or somethin'?" 

Fin quickly stood from his desk and made his way over to Sonny's, whistling at the bruise along his check and eye socket. "What the hell?" he asked, as Sonny blushed. "What happened, Carisi? Did you get mugged or did your wife beat you?" 

"Neither," he mumbled, looking at his two friends. "My five year old did this to me." 

"Carina?" Fin asked, as Amanda laughed. "What did you do? Tell her she couldn't draw on the walls again?" 

He scowled, "She accidentally hit me with a board last night," he said, as Amanda continued to laugh. "We're puttin' together furniture for the baby's room, now that we've moved into the house. She picked up one of the smaller boards and turned around too quickly, whackin' me right in the face." 

Amanda sobered up, "I'm sorry," she said, snorting out another laugh. "But.. why are you letting your daughter pick up pieces to a bookcase?" 

"Because that's our thing," Sonny shrugged. "Ever since she was a year and a half old, Carina's always helped me in some capacity, puttin' together furniture. From her bed to little things around the house. Now with the new baby comin' and a gettin' the house together, she's itchin' to help out more." 

"Your little helper," Fin nodded, as Liv stepped out of her office. "You know.. it doesn't look  _that_ bad." 

Olivia looked up from her phone, "What doesn't look that bad?' she asked, before turning her attention to Sonny. " _Jesus!_ What the hell happened to you? Did Iz clock you for putting your foot in your mouth?" 

Amanda walked away, laughing loudly this time, while Fin filled the Lieutenant in. "Ahh.." Liv nodded. "I see. Well, it doesn't look that bad. Could've been worse though.." 

"How?" Fin asked, as Liv walked back towards her office. 

"She could've gotten him right in the eye," she said, turning back to look at them. "Don't know about you, Fin, but I like to have my detectives with both eyes in their heads. And an eyepatch on Carisi would look comical.." 

Fin scoffed, as he turned back to Sonny. "Yeah, but you would be the cool Dad at the playground," he pointed out. "I mean.. aren't you a favorite at career day at her school? The eyepatch would up your ranking and everyone would be talking about Carina's pirate-cop of a Dad." 

Huffing, Sonny stood up and made his way to the break room, trying his best to keep the attention off his black eye. It would be a long day. 

.............

"Daddy, I think we should put the birdhouse here," Carina said, as they stood on the terrace. 

"Where?" he asked, as Carina pointed to the railing. "There? Are you sure?" 

She nodded, "That way, all the birdies can have enough places to eat," she reasoned, as Sonny carried the new house over to where she stood. 

Setting the house down, Sonny stood back and looked at it, before shrugging. "Looks good,  _topolina,"_ he said, as Carina wrapped her arms around his leg. "What else should we do out here? Mommy and your sisters left this to us, since it's too hot for them to be outside. It's your first backyard, which means we've got plenty of things to do out here. Anything your little builder's heart desires! " 

"Can we put the flowers in the ground?" she asked, looking up at him. "Pleeeeaseee?" 

"We can put some flowers in the ground," Sonny chuckled. "But first? Sunscreen. Otherwise your Mother will kick my butt, if you got sunburned."

Heading into the house, Sonny grabbed the canister of sunscreen and a few bottles of water. "Are you two working in the garden today?" Isabella asked, as she warmed up a bottle for Sienna. 

"For a little bit," Sonny nodded, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "How are my girls?" 

"Lina's in her bed asleep," Isabella sighed, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "Siena's in the swing and finally calm, thank god. They just don't do well with the heat, Sonny. Our little winter babies, those two." 

Sonny nodded, "Hopefully they don't get sick with all the in and out," he sighed. "Next time we go to your parents or mine, we'll keep them inside." 

She nodded, "I'm gonna feed Sienna and try to get her to nap," she said. "I need to shower, since I feel so gross. Sitting in these sweaty clothes..." 

"You look beautiful," Sonny insisted, kissing her full on the lips. "Who cares if ya smell a lil sweaty? I sure as hell don't.." 

"Dadddddyyyy, I wanna put my flowers in the ground," Carina whined, as she stood by the sliding door. "Hurry!" 

Isabella snickered, "Go," she nodded, kissing him quickly. "I have a baby to feed and a hot shower to take." 

He nodded, "If you need help, yell for me," he said, heading for the door. 

"I will, I will," she promised. "And make sure you  _both_ put on sunscreen! Make sure Daddy puts sunscreen on, Carina!" 

"Daddy, you has to put it on," Carina said, as they stepped outside. "No boo boos on your face! Mommy doesn't like it when you get boo boos on your face, after playing in the sun." 

Closing the door shut behind them, Isabella snorted and shook her head, grabbing the bottle out of the warmer. "That little girl," she murmured, as she headed into the living room. "Such a good helper..." 

 


	29. sonogram magic

Sonny stared at the poster on the wall, his eyes moving rapidly through the different pictures; the internal side view of the labor and delivery process, from beginning to the end. He slowly turned his head, eyes wide and his mouth agape. 

" _Babe_ ," he all but whispered, pointing to the poster on the wall. "Did you s _ee_ this thing?" 

Isabella turned her head and nodded, "Yeah.. the last few times I've been here," she pointed out. "Sonny, I'm sure you've taken a health class back in high school, to know how a baby is born." 

"Yeah, but... this is you," he said, nodding towards her. "A baby is gonna come out of... there..." 

"Oh god," she snorted, as he pulled the stool closer to the exam table. "Sonny, relax. Don't freak out on my now, while we're only eighteen weeks in. We've got some time, before we talk about birth plans." 

He nodded slowly, reaching out to lay his hand on her belly, which popped somewhere in the last two weeks. "Kickin' up a storm in there," he chuckled, as Isabella laid her hand upon his. "Jesus.." 

A knock sounded on the door before it opened, as Isabella's OBGYN walked in. "Hey guys!" Doctor Brown greeted, setting Isabella's chart on the counter. "How are we doing today?" 

"Good," Isabella replied, resting her arm underneath her head. "How are you?" 

"Great!" Doctor Brown said, as he dried his hands with a paper towel. "Kelly was kind enough to remind me that you missed last months appointment..." 

Sonny nodded, "That was my fault," he said, raising his hand. "I forgot to set the alarm clock the night before...." 

Doctor Brown gave him a pointed look, which made Isabella giggle. "I did call Kelly, as soon as I got up," she insisted. "I would've came in later that day, but Kelly said you were booked that afternoon, and then off for the rest of the week..."

"Well, lets forget that it happened," the doctor sighed. "But I must stress that you don't miss anymore appointments, unless it's a dire emergency. Now.. how are you feeling? Any changes I should know about?" 

"Well, the baby is kicking A LOT these days," Isabella started, as the doctor felt around her belly. "Peeing a lot, a bit gassy if I eat too much..." 

Sonny sniggered, "She's also nappin' a lot these days," he offered. "I found her asleep in the laundry basket last week." 

Doctor Brown looked at his patient and frowned, "Really?" he asked, looking between the two. "The laundry basket?" 

"I'm serious!" Sonny snorted, as Isabella blushed. "Arms and legs hanging over the sides and her head thrown back. Just snorin' away! Didn't even move when I came home from work..." 

"Well.. as long as your getting enough sleep..." the doctor nodded, as a nurse came in. "Belly feels good and I can feel those kicks! Good lord, I think you've got a future soccer player in there."

Isabella snorted, "God, help us," she murmured, as he checked her hands and her feet for swelling. "Ever since we felt the first flutters, it's been non-stop kicking."

Sonny nodded," Even when she sleeps, the baby kicks," he noted. "I think they nap durin' the day..."

"It's still all new," the nurse chimed in. "Especially for first time parents. By the time you get used to it, you'll be at the end of your pregnancy."

"Amelia's right," Doctor Brown agreed. "Alright,  we're going to do a sonogram now, Isabella. Let's see how this little one's doing in there!" 

Lifting the paper top up, the nurse pulled the waistband of Isabella's pants and underwear down, before squeezing a generous amount of gel onto her belly. Sonny moved even closer to her side, taking her hand into his, as the doctor booted up the machine. 

"Do y'think we'll be able to see what we're havin'?" he asked, as the nurse stepped back. 

"Well, I don't see why not," the doctor shrugged, taking the transducer off the hook. "Generally, at eighteen weeks, you can tell what the gender will be. Now, it depends on if you want to know the sex, before birth. Many of my patients these days, prefer to wait until the baby is born. Or have the results sent to a bakery to have one of those parties.." 

Isabella snorted, as he pressed the transducer along the underside of her belly. "We want to know today, if possible," she said, as the screen lit up in black and white. "Sonny's been dying to paint the nursery and we've been bickering over colors." 

The image suddenly changed and there on the screen, in black and white and clear as day, was their baby. Bigger now, than the last time they saw it, shortly before Christmas. There was a moment of silence in the room, as the doctor fiddled with the keyboard to take pictures and take the proper measurements. 

"Let's listen to the heartbeat..." Doctor Brown said, turning up the volume.

"Whoa.." Sonny gasped, as the baby's heartbeat filled the room. "Sounds like a pack of gallopin' horses in there..."

Isabella giggled, "Heartbeat sounds great," Doctor Brown nodded. "Very strong, which is what we want to hear. Baby looks great too and everything looks like it's supposed to. Two arms, two legs. Ten fingers and toes and no abnormalities detected."

He turned to the couple, "A healthy baby you got in there, Isabella," he noted. "And.. I can tell you right now, what you're having."

"You can?" she asked, as the doctor nodded. She then turned to Sonny, "Do you want to know? I mean.. we can always wait.."

"No, let's find out," Sonny insisted. "I don't think either of us can wait til June to find out."

Doctor Brown nodded, as he leaned forward to change the view on the screen. "Well," he started, moving to point to a spot on the screen. "Looks like you're having a girl.." 

"G-girl?" Sonny stuttered. "We're having a girl?" 

He nodded, "This is defiantly a girl," he noted. "She's ready for you two to know about it, as well!" Pointing out, on the screen, the legs and the labia that was clear as day. "I guess she wants her bedroom painted, just as bad as Dad here.." 

"Oh my god," Sonny gasped, as his eyes filled with tears. "Iz... it's a girl.." 

She nodded, "It's a girl," she repeated, smiling at him. "Oh! Sonny!" 

Dropping his head against her shoulder, Sonny began to cry, as Isabella wrapped her arm around his shoulders; her other hand went to his head, stroking her fingers through his hair. For a moment, the expectant mother panicked, afraid that this wasn't good news for him. But when Sonny lifted his head up and smiled at her, through tears, she relaxed. 

"I'm so happy!" he sobbed, as the nurse wiped handed Isabella the sonogram photos, before wiping her belly clean. "We're havin' a girl, babe!" 

"Me too!" Isabella nodded, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "You've got a lot of work ahead of you, Sonny. You were the one that was betting on a girl after all..." 

Scribbling a few notes in her chart, Doctor Brown looked down at his watch. "We did your weight, blood pressure, urine.... did we decide on the amnio?" he asked, looking up at them both. "If you want to do it, I can get you in sometime next week." 

Isabella and Sonny looked at each other, "Can we get back to you on that?" she asked. "I know it would be the smart thing to do, but..." 

"Think it over and schedule an appointment," the doctor concluded. "I personally didn't see any abnormalities in the sonogram, but the test rules out any genetic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities. I can send you home with some reading material, just to give you a rundown of how the test is done and what we look for..." 

"Okay." 

He nodded, looking down at her chart. "Alright, other than that," he clicked the pen twice. "Any questions for me? What to expect between now and your next visit?" 

When neither Sonny or Isabella could come up with any questions, Doctor Brown finished up his notes. "I want to see you next month for a glucose screening test," he said. "Rule out gestational diabetes and we'll take blood to make sure you're not anemic." 

"Ugh," Isabella made a face, as Sonny helped her up. "Now I can see why you hate shots and giving blood." 

"It's very important that you make it to your next appointment," the doctor urged. "Gestational diabetes is something you don't want to play around with, so it's better to catch it sooner rather than later." 

Sonny nodded, "We'll be here," he promised. "Even if I have to set twenty alarm clocks throughout the house..." 

"If anything comes up, don't hesitate to call," the doctor said, as he collected the chart. "Make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy and take it easy. You're halfway there, Isabella." 

Bidding them a good afternoon, they were left alone in the exam room with the sonogram pictures. Looking down at the six, glossy black and white photos, they marveled over their little girl. The little white arrows that pointed to where her genitals were, so that it would make it easier for them to explain to their family and friends. 

"She's got a hamburger," Isabella giggled, as Sonny rested his chin on her shoulder. "I can't believe it." 

"Everyone always said I was destined to be a father to all girls," he mused, as Isabella rested her head against his. "What are we going to name her?" 

Isabella shook her head, "I have no idea," she said, turning to look at him. "All I can think about right now, is that I'm having a little girl. And I'm having her with the most wonderful husband a girl could ask for." 

It was her turn to cry, as Sonny wrapped his arms around her. "I'm gonna have my work cut out for me," he joked. "Between keepin' the boys away, there's gonna be so many dolls and clothes comin' in and out of our house.." 

"It'll only get worse if we end up with four or five girls," Isabella sniffled, as Sonny pushed her hair away from her face. "Sorry for crying on you. I'm just really happy that we're having a girl and that she's healthy. And I'm also really hungry and sleepy." 

"There's no surprise there," Sonny chuckled, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Let's get you dressed and we'll head home, so I can make you somethin' to eat." 

Helping her off the exam table, Sonny took the paper exam gown and threw it in the garbage, while Isabella pulled her sweater back on. Getting into their jackets, they walked hand in hand to the desk, setting up an appointment for the following month. 

"You know," Sonny started, as they stepped out into the chill February air. "Now that we know it's a girl, we can set up the registry." 

Isabella wrapped her arm through his, "We can," she agreed. "And we'll have to figure out a cute way to tell our parents. And our friends."

They reached the corner and stopped, waiting for the crosswalk sign to change. "Or, we could just.. not tell them," Sonny shrugged. "Leave them guessin' right up til delivery. I know for a fact that there's a bet goin' on at work, because somehow Pop is involved. And I think your Dad is too, along with Joey." 

"Great," Isabella rolled her eyes. "I hate when they do that stuff." 

"Ah, it's one of the big debates of the year," he shrugged. "Amanda and Fin are bettin' on a girl, while Liv and Barba are bettin' on a boy. Hell, even Chief Dodd's is part of the bet, which is weird." 

She giggled, "Yeah, but he and Liv are dating, so it kinda makes sense that he's involved," she shrugged. "Nick texted the other day and said he's betting a girl, because your parents had three girls before they had you..." 

Heading down the steps to the subway, Sonny chuckled. "Nick's a smart ass," he shook his head. "I'll leave it up to you, since you're the queen of plannin' all that cutesy stuff. Whatever you wanna do, I'll do it." 

"Good," Isabella sighed, as they waited on the platform. "Do you wanna cuddle with me, when we get home?" 

"Of course I wanna cuddle with ya," Sonny smirked. "After I feed ya of course, but yeah." 

Wrapping both arms around her waist Sonny held her close, running his hands up and down her back. "I guess this means I can paint the room pink now," he said, smirking as she made a face. "Or purple." 

Isabella shook her head, "We are  _not_ painting her room pink, Dominick," she warned. "Just because she's a girl, doesn't mean she needs a pink room." 

He snickered, "Alright, no pink bedroom," he promised, dropping a kiss against her forehead. "Hey, Iz?" 

"Hm?" 

"We're havin' a girl." 

Isabella smiled and looked up at him again. "We're having a girl," she nodded. 

Sonny all but giggled at the fact, that is world would soon be filled with princesses and everything and anything frilly and feminine. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once, thinking back on how his Father dealt with his sisters and what he saw every single day at SVU. But at that moment, as the subway pulled in to take them back to their little home in Sunnyside, Sonny couldn't sto himself from smiling like a fool.

He was going to be a father to a little girl in four months. A little princess or tomboy, who would be a mix of both him and Isabella. A future of dress up and tea parties, or running around the park together. There was so much to do and show this little girl, who would no doubt be the center of their attention. Their first born, a unexpected gift from God in Sonny's eyes. Still scared, even more so now than beforehand, but he was more than ready to welcome his little girl with open arms and a heart filled with love. 


	30. permanent solutions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sonny and isabella discuss their options, after finding out their expecting for a 5th time.

The house was silent, save for the sleepy coos of an infant, coming through the baby monitor on the table. Carina, was off, sleeping over at her friends house for the evening, while Evelina and Siena were out on Staten Island with Nonno and Nonna.

At the dining room table, Isabella and Sonny sat across from each other in silence, settling down after a long morning of shuttling children and errands. Sitting back  in his chair, Sonny's hands wrapped around Isabella's foot, as his fingers pressed into the arch. 

"So..." he sighed

"So..." she mimicked, her arms draped over her stomach. "Seven weeks pregnant." 

He nodded, "Ellie will be a year and a half old when the baby comes..." he said, shaking his head slowly. "Jesus..." 

Isabella sighed, "We're really playing it close here, Sonny," she said. "Doctor Brown was not amused, especially when the urine test came back positive. Technically, I shouldn't be pregnant at all, considering what happened when Ellie was born." 

Shuddering at the memory of Eleanora's arrival, just nine months previously, made Sonny grip her foot a bit tighter. Due in March, Ellie decided to come three weeks earlier than planned, during a snowstorm. Unlike her older sisters, all of whom came after their due dates, Eleanora came into the world quickly; taking her mother down for four months. The labor and delivery came so quickly, that Isabella ended up giving birth on a gurney instead of a hospital bed; right in the middle of the birthing room.

All Sonny could remember in those twenty minutes of pure terror, were Isabella's screams and the blood. So much blood, which covered the pristine white sheets and Isabella's legs. In the end, Isabella was fine as was Eleanora, despite being early. But it was a close call, as Doctor Brown put it. 

_Had you waited another hour.... it's hard to tell who would've survived._

By her six-week checkup, Isabella had some energy to make the trip to the office, guided by Sonny and Olivia. Healing, albeit slower than the last three times, Doctor Brown suggested a different measure of birth control when the time was ready. 

_I would think long and hard, before deciding to add to your family. You were very lucky, considering the circumstances. But I can't guarantee that you'll have that luck the next time._

After that appointment, they decided on ending at four kids, citing that four blessings were enough. Especially Sonny, who couldn't get the image of her weak body, lying up in a hospital bed attached to multiple IV's and monitors. 

_I almost lost you and I can't go through that again. Couldn't survive if anythin' ever happened to you, Iz. We're supposed to grow old together, watchin' our kids run around with their kids._

Now, here they were, nine months after that nightmare. 

"So far, everything looks great," Isabella said. "I'm healthy and the baby looks healthy.." 

"Yeah, but for how long?" Sonny asked. "I mean.. look how difficult it was when you were pregnant with Ellie. Sick throughout the entire thing, the severe back pain and overall weakness. You were put on bed rest twice and took your maternity leave at six months instead of eight..." 

Isabella nodded, "I know," she said. "But... we both agreed to keep the baby. And after today? After hearing that heartbeat and seeing that little flicker of life? I can't do that, Sonny. I can't terminate." 

Sonny ran his fingers through his hair, "Then what are we gonna do to make sure you two get through this?" he asked. "Don't make me choose in the end, Iz. If it comes to choosin' which one I have to save, you know I'm pickin' you." 

"I wouldn't expect anything different," she admitted. "I'll do everything you and the doctor say. Except termination. I am going to have this baby and we're going to be fine in the end." 

"I just wish we went back and did the responsible thing," Sonny muttered. "We should've gone back when you were well enough to do birth control. And IUD or somethin' that wasn't pills." 

She sighed, "Even then, and IUD isn't always guaranteed to prevent pregnancy," she reminded him. "Babies can still be conceived with one of those things, sewn in." 

He huffed, "Well, what are we gonna do to make sure this doesn't happen again?" he asked, nodding to her belly. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I loved every single moment of you bein' pregnant with our kids. But... we can't do this again after this. And clearly pills and condoms aren't our greatest friends..." 

"I could always get my tubes tied," Isabella shrugged. "They could probably do it, right after the baby is born. Give birth and go in a few hours later or a day later, to get them tied." 

"Or," Sonny shrugged. "I could get a vasectomy.." 

Isabella blinked, "I mean.. why should you get cut open?" he continued. "You did all the hard work, growin' the baby and pushin' one out. Doesn't seem fair that you'd have to get cut open, just to fuck around with your.. baby makin' parts." 

"You would do that?" Isabella asked, as he ran his fingers up and down the top of her foot. 

"Why not?" Sonny shrugged. "S'not like I plan on fatherin' anymore kids after this. Five kids is enough, Iz. I'm gettin' old here." 

She snorted, rolling her eyes at the comment. "I suppose you could get snipped," she sighed. "It's probably more effective than tubal ligation, since those lil suckers won't have a place to bust out of..." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "My god, Iz," he muttered, as she giggled. "Stuff will still come out..from there. Just not the lil' guys, which helped make four, beautiful children. Five now, since one lil' guy hit the jackpot." 

"You're so corny," Isabella said, as he chuckled. "So.. vasectomy?" 

"Vasectomy," Sonny confirmed. "I'll call the doc tomorrow for a referral. I wanna get it done now, before the baby is born. Can't leave you recovering from birth, with a newborn and four children runnin' about." 

Isabella nodded, "And I think we should wait to tell everyone about the baby," she said. "They might not react too kindly by the news, considering what happened last time.." 

"Frenchie's gonna end up movin' in," Sonny sighed. "Liv and Amanda are gonna scold the shit outta me. Hell, all the women in my life are gonna scold me for knockin' you up again. Especially since Ellie's still a baby-baby." 

"Well, we all know what happens, when we have date nights," Isabella remarked, as she stood from her chair. 

Climbing onto his lap, Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his lips to her temple. "Think of it this way," she said quietly, as she rested her head against his shoulder. "We'll be able to have sex all over the place, without having to stash condoms up and away from the kids. And, I won't have to worry about taking pills and remembering if I took them. Easy access and you'll be able to cum in me, and not have a panic attack afterwards." 

Sonny smacked her behind lightly, making her squeal. "Jesus Christ, Isabella!" he exclaimed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Must you be so crude?" 

"Crude? Me?" Isabella scoffed. "This is coming from a man who has such a  _filthy_ mouth, when he wants to get in my pants!" she said, leaning closer to his ear. " _Cum on my cock, Iz. You know how much I like it when you milk me dry. It's almost as if your pussy his been thirstin' for my cum. Cum for Dad-_ MHMM!" 

Silencing her with his lips against hers, Sonny threaded his fingers into her hair, as she relaxed in his arms. Pulling apart, moments later, Isabella nuzzled her nose against his, a dreamy smile stretched upon her lips. 

"So I have a filthy mouth," he panted. "Never stopped ya from doin' exactly what I ask ya.." 

"No, it hasn't," she sighed, smiling up at him. 

Sonny sighed as well, his hand coming to rest against her belly; the little extra baby weight from Ellie, still hung from her form. She had worked so hard to lose the first twenty-five pounds, only to have it come back in a few months. 

"Hey," Isabella said gently, her hand upon his. 

Sonny looked up at her, "We're going to be fine," she said quietly, her thumb running across his knuckles. "I'll be fine and the baby will be fine. We'll play it safely and in seven months, we'll be home with a new baby." 

He nodded, "You do realize that I plan on bein' a drill sergeant this time around, right?" he asked. "I'll get everyone on your case if I have to, Iz." 

"I know," Isabella said, giving him a small smile. "The first moment that something doesn't feel right, you'll know. I promise." 

"I love you," Sonny said, his hands coming up to cup her face. "You're my whole life, ya know that right? The girls are too, but you? You keep my heart beatin', Iz." 

Isabella nodded, "I know," she whispered. "I love you, too." 

Kissing her again, Sonny slid his hands up into her hair and down her back, pulling her close to his chest. "How about we take a nap?" he whispered. "Hm? Ellie should sleep for a little while longer, after bein' carted around all day.' 

"Nap and then I'll make dinner for us," Isabella nodded. "A night without kiddie food, is a good night in my books." 

 

 


	31. dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonny fangirls over Game of Thrones. Isabella is slightly amused. 
> 
>  
> 
> CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TONIGHT'S GAME OF THRONES. BEWARE IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED IT!

"Oh my god! Oh my god! HOLY SHIT, OHMIGAWDDD!" 

Isabella dropped the laundry basket and ran out of the bedroom, taking the stairs two at a time, before skidding across the hardwood floor into the living room. 

"WHAT HAPPE-ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" she shouted, as Sonny stood between the sofa and coffee table; his hands gripping at his hair, shouting at the television. 

On the screen was chaos and destruction, as a dragon flew above an army, breathing fire. Suddenly, Isabella remembered that it was Monday night and Sonny was catching up on the recent episode of  _Game of Thrones._

"GET HIM, DANY! GET THAT GODDAMN THRONE!" Sonny cried, as the dragon turned the enemy into toast. "YES!" 

Isabella watched on in shock, as her husband turned into a total fanboy, waving his limbs about. Dropping down on the sofa, Sonny leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together against his mouth. All but biting his nails, Sonny reacted in quite the display, shouting and cursing, as the dragon and the little blonde girl flew about. Letting out one more shout, as the episode came to and end, Sonny covered his face with his hands. 

"Jesus fuckin' christ..." he muttered. 

"Are you done?" 

Sonny jumped to his feet, whirling around to find Isabella staring at him. "Iz.. hey!" he managed a laugh. "I.. I didn't hear ya come in." 

She arched an eyebrow at him, "A police raid could bust through the front door and you'd probably miss it," she pointed out. "You do realize that we have three kids upstairs, sleeping, right?" 

"Shit.." he whispered. 

"Don't worry, they're all asleep still," Isabella said. "How is beyond me, since you were screaming like a girl." 

He scowled, "But.. didn't you see that?" he asked, pointing to the television. "I've waited seven seasons for this moment! 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "You know how I feel about that show," she reminded him. "I'm glad your homegirl got her shining moment, but you gotta keep it down." 

"I'm sorry, Iz. I am," Sonny nodded. "But... the dragon. The dragon! Dany is like.. so close to gettin' that throne and takin' the Lannisters out." 

He then held up his hands, "Look at this," he said, nodding to them. "I'm fuckin' shakin'. My heart is poundin' in my chest, Iz. Jesus, I'm sweatin' bullets here!" 

"Oh my god, you are ridiculous," Isabella shook her head. "How come I don't get this kinda reaction from you?" 

"Well...." 

She shook her head, "Don't you even say it," she warned, pointing her finger at him. "DON'T!" 

Sonny smirked, "You're not a dragon, babe," he shrugged. "If anythin', you're like a cat, protectin' her young.." 

"You know what? I could call the cable company tomorrow and cancel our subscription to HBO!" Isabella snapped. "This stupid show! I could KILL Joey for getting you into this crap!" 

"Baabbbbee, please don't!" Sonny cried, pouting at her. "Please? It's somethin' that's not cartoon or Disney related, that I can watch." 

"Then watch something that isn't glorifying rape! And incest!" she retorted. "How can you watch this show, after working all day with rape victims?" 

He sighed, "I fast forward those scenes," he said quietly. "Believe me, I don't think it's necessary at all to show all that stuff..." 

Isabella squinted at him, "But babe, the dragons. I'm rootin' for the dragons. And Olenna, who was so fuckin' cutthroat, gettin' the last laugh as she downed a cup of poison." 

"Oh god," Isabella muttered, shaking her head. 

"And Dany, who is totally gettin' her throne now," he continued, getting excited and more animated as he spoke. "Who doesn't love a woman in charge? This young girl is gonna rule all of the Seven Kingdoms and her children are actual  _dragons!_ "

He then threw himself down on the sofa, "I want a dragon," he said breathlessly, staring at the ceiling with a dreamy look on his face. 

Shaking her head, Isabella grabbed the remote off the sofa and turned the television off. "Alright, dragon boy," she shook her head. "When you're done jerking off about your harem of fire breathing lizards, you can check on the girls. You're lucky I'm even letting you come to bed after this.." 

"Dragons, babe," he yelled, as Isabella made her way back upstairs. "Dragons!" 

...............

"Why did we get this for Daddy?" Carina asked, as Isabella set the gift bag on the kitchen table. "Daddy's too  _old_ for toys, Mommy." 

Isabella snorted, "Daddy's also too old for shenanigans, that he and Zio Joey get into, but we still let him have fun," she reminded her daughter. "Plus, Daddy told Mommy that he wanted one of these.." 

Carina's eyes went wide, "Really?" she gasped. 

"Really," her Mother nodded, as the sound of keys going into the locks could be heard. "Uh oh, Daddy's home." 

Evelina squealed, as she rushed out of the dining room and into the hallway. "Lina!" Sonny cried out, as the little girl screeched with joy. "What are you doing, silly girl? Were you waitin' for Daddy?" 

A few seconds later, Sonny walked into the kitchen with Lina on his hip; her tiny hands gripping at the collar of his suit jacket. "Hello, ladies," he grinned, as Carina rushed to wrap her arms around his legs. "How are we this evenin'?" 

"Good!" Carina giggled, as he ruffled her hair. "Daddy! Mommy got you a present!" 

"She did?" Sonny asked, glancing up at his wife. 

Carina nodded, "Yeah! A big present!" she giggled, as Isabella smirked. 

He nodded slowly, "It's not big  as in...." he trailed off, looking down at her stomach; which held the few extra pounds from her pregnancy with Siena.

"God, no," Isabella snorted, shaking a few more puffs onto the nine-month old's highchair tray. "Do you think I'd be reacting this way? I would've marched down to the precinct with three kids and kicked your butt.." 

Carina giggled, as did Evelina, which made Sonny scowl. "Verrrry funny, Iz," he shook his head, as she pulled a chair out for him. 

"Sit," she ordered, holding her hand out to the chair. "I have a present for you." 

"Girls, I'm scared," Sonny said, as he sat down slowly. "Lina, protect me." 

"Daddy, silly," she giggled, as Isabella pulled the giant gift bag towards Sonny. "Silly!" 

Stepping back, Isabella watched as Sonny carefully pulled the tissue paper out of the bag, playfully dropping it onto Carina's head. "Daddy!" Carina squealed, clutching the colorful papers to her chest. 

"Hmm, what did Mommy buy?" he asked, looking between his girls. "Siena, do you know what Mommy bought?" 

Siena babbled, kicking her feet up and down, as she smacked her hands on the tray. "Da!" 

Reaching into the bag, now tissue paper free, Sonny pulled out a brown and green dragon. "See, I tried to get you a real dragon," Isabella started, as she leaned against the table. "But, currently they're considered illegal here in the United States. So, I thought long and hard about how I was going to get one into the house..." 

Sonny sat quietly in the chair, staring at the dragon in shock, while Carina and Evelina giggled. "So, I took the girls on a hunt for a dragon and found you one," Isabella said, smiling. "I think it might be a boy, but the girl at he register wasn't sure." 

"Iz..." Sonny started, shaking his head slowly. "Wow." 

"Ah, I figured adoption would be the next step," she shrugged, looking down at her nails. "I could've bought another one, but Carina said two would be too much." 

He looked at Carina, who nodded. "Two dragons is too many," she reported. "And they can't sleeps with Siena, Daddy! They'll eat her!" 

Letting out a startled laugh, Sonny leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "You're right," he nodded, as Carina beamed up at him. "Two dragons is too many." 

"Do you like him?" Isabella asked, as Sonny stood up. 

"I do," Sonny smiled, pulling her in for a kiss. "Thank you, babe. He's adorable." 

Isabella smiled up at him, "Good," she whispered. "Why don't you change out of those clothes? I'll start dinner, while you and the girls show your dragon his new home..." 

Grinning, Sonny turned his attention to his daughters. "Are we ready to show your brother his new home?" he asked. 

"YES!" Carina shouted, jumping up and down. 

Handing Evelina over to his wife, Sonny tweaked Carina's nose. "I'll be right back!" he said, starting out of the dining room for the stairs. "Rina! Start plottin' the tour!" 

Watching as Carina rushed out of the room, in search for her art supplies, Isabella snorted and shook her head. "We did good, didn't we?" she asked, looking down at Evelina. 

"Yah!" the three year old nodded. "Dwagon, Mommy! Dwagon, rawr!" 

"Dragon goes rawr!" Isabella nodded, pressing a kiss to her head. "Let's get sissy down and ready for the tour!" 

 


	32. man-cold

Sonny sniffled harshly, as he twisted the keys in the locks, while juggling a bag of groceries in one hand; his backpack, weighing down with his law textbooks and notebooks, hung off the other arm. 

With the door finally unlocked, Sonny pushed it open with his foot, surprised to find the lights on within. 

"Sonny?" 

Frowning, Sonny stepped into the apartment, letting the backpack slip to the floor. "Iz?" he called out, hearing her footsteps on the hardwood floors. 

Stepping out of the kitchen, wearing one of his many shits, Isabella stood with a dishtowel in her hands. "Hey!" she smiled, making her way towards him. "I hope you don't mind.. I used your key to get in..." 

"No, its fine," Sonny said, as she stood on her toes to kiss him. "Did.. did we have dinner plans?" 

"No, I just missed you is all," she shrugged, smiling at him. "I made dinner..." 

He nodded, following her into his tiny kitchen, where a pot sat on the stove. "What did ya make?" he asked, setting the bag down on the counter. 

Isabella lifted the lid, resuming her stirring. "I made chicken and wild rice soup," she said, reaching to lower the heat on the burner. "It's been so cold out and I was craving soup all day at work." 

"That sounds delicious," he murmured, using a paper towel to blow his nose. "I'm gonna take a quick shower and change." 

"Okay!" Isabella called out, as he made his way towards the bathroom. 

Letting the soup cook for another five minutes, Isabella went to the shopping bag on the counter and started unloading it. There were a few cold colds and a loaf of bread, along with another container of coffee. Setting the food items away, Isabella sorted through the rest of the groceries. Dish soap, another tube of hair gel, cough syrup, cough drops, tissues..." 

Isabella frowned at the items on the counter, before making her way down the hall to Sonny's bedroom. She could hear the shower running, along with the hacking cough that Sonny most likely tried to hide from her. Grabbing clean clothes out of the dresser, Isabella set them on the chair in the corner of the room. Fixing the bed, she made sure to fluff up the pillows and clear off the nightstand of the trash; rumpled up tissues, water bottle caps, a condom wrapper from Monday night; the last time they were together. Isabella carried the trash out into the kitchen, chucking it into the garbage pail, before heading back into the bedroom to wait for Sonny.   
  


......................

"Hi," Sonny greeted her, his voice hoarse from coughing. 

"You're sick," Isabella greeted him back, which made him pause; startled. 

"W-what?" 

Isabella sighed, "I unpacked your groceries," she said, watching him. "Why didn't you tell me that you weren't feeling good?" 

Sonny shrugged, "I didn't want to bother ya.." he mumbled, as she got up off the bed. 

"Sonny, you're not a bother," Isabella reminded him. "I would've brought stuff over for you. Hell, I would've re-made the entire bed with new sheets, brought vapo-rub and teas.." 

"A nursemaid's  costume?" he asked, before covering his mouth to cough. 

Isabella winced, "Let's get you dried off and dressed," she said, grabbing the towel from around his waist. "You'll eat some soup and take your medicine." 

"Iz.."he whined, as she toweled him off. 

"Shh," she shook her head, grabbing the clothes from the dresser. "You take care of me, whenever I'm feeling down. So let me take care of you.." 

Sonny dressed in the clothes that Isabella took out for him, before letting himself be led down the hall to the kitchen. Sitting down at the table, Sonny watched through tired eyes, as Isabella got two bowls out of the cabinet. In the eight months that they'd been together, Sonny never wanted to show is girlfriend this side of him. Being a complete germaphobe, especially during flu season. He was quick to take care of Isabella, three weeks earlier, when she caught a cold; cooking soups, spending every night at her place, taking her to the doctors. But this time around, he was almost anxious to have her in his apartment. The dreaded "man-cold" as his mother and sisters put it, turned the average man into a complete baby. And Sonny was the worst candidate of the "man-cold". 

"Do you have a thermometer?" Isabella asked, as she set a glass of water and a bowl of soup in front of him. 

Sonny watched her, as she ran her hands along his forehead, down to his face, until they slipped down the back of his shirt to feel his back. "You do feel warm," she murmured. "How do you feel? Do you feel hot or cold?" 

"A little cold," he said, as she nodded. "I might have a thermometer in the bathroom. The medicine cabinet." 

"Don't go anywhere," Isabella said, as she went off to find it. 

Eating the soup slowly, Sonny closed his eyes and sighed, feeling relief for the first time in hours; the hot liquid, so rich in flavor, soothed his raw throat; between all the coughing and talking, Sonny was surprised he could even say more than a few words. His entire body ached, from head to toe, as he made the effort to spoon the broth into his mouth. Coming back out, brandishing a thermometer, Isabella had Sonny put it in his mouth. 

"My poor baby," she pouted, running her fingers through his damp hair. "Thank god you have off the next two days. These overnights and pulling overtime today, took a little more out of you than anticipated.." 

Sonny groaned, as she took the thermometer out of his mouth, bringing it close to her face to read. 

"Yikes," she winced, shaking her head. "One hundred and one. Okay, finish your soup. I'll get your medicine ready and it's bed with you." 

"What about you?" Sonny croaked, as she went to get the bottle of cough syrup. 

Isabella turned and looked at him, "I'll clean up this mess in here and come in to check on you," she shrugged. 

He all but pouted at her, which made her smile at him. "What?" she asked, coming over to the table. "You want me to rock you to sleep?" 

"Yeah..." he mumbled, his face flushed from the fever, along with embarrassment. "I..I don't do well with bein' sick, Iz. My Ma says I turn into a baby when I get the "man-cold". Just like my Pop." 

"You know, I am used to dealing with sick kids," Isabella pointed out, watching as he blushed even more. "So what if you get a bit...extra? You've always put a brave face on, whenever I don't feel good. At least now, I can see the tables turned and how you are when you get sick.." 

Finishing the soup, Isabella took the bowl and set it in the sink, before grabbing the bottle of cough syrup. "Take every four hours.." she read, before shaking the bottle. "Hopefully you'll just knock out, once your head hits the pillow.." 

Sonny sneezed, grabbing the box of tissues on the table. "Wouldn't that be nice," he mumbled, blowing his nose. 

"You need to rest," Isabella said, as she poured out the right dosage. "Here. Drink it all and be a good boy." 

"This is disgustin'," Sonny said, after he downed the cherry flavored medication. "So gross." 

Isabella closed the bottle and placed it on the table, before turning towards him. "Let's go," she said, holding out her hands. "Bedtime." 

Grumbling the entire way to his bedroom, Sonny crawled under the blankets and watched as Isabella tucked him in; the blankets pulled up to his chin, as she lay still on his back. "Do you need anything?" Isabella asked, sitting down next to him. "I'll bring in water and some tissues for you..." 

"Wanna fool around?" 

"Sonny," she snorted, shaking her head. "You need to  _rest._ You're not going to get better, if you don't sleep." 

He pouted, "We can fool around another night," Isabella said. "Right now, I need you to close your eyes and go to sleep. Don't fight it, baby." 

Yawning widely, Sonny gave her a sleepy smile, as his eyes drifted shut. He began to snore then, the congestion turning each snore into a whistle. Shaking her head, Isabella quietly got up and turned the lamp off, making her way out of the bedroom. In the kitchen, she started loading up the dishwasher. Putting the remains of the soup in the refrigerator, Isabella made sure the front door and windows were locked, before heading back into the bedroom. It was only a quarter to nine and the night was still young. But with Sonny asleep and sick, Isabella decided an early night wouldn't hurt for once. Setting the glass of water and a box of tissues on his night stand, Isabella crawled into bed next to him. 

............

Sleeping through the night, Sonny woke early the next morning, groaning at the time on his alarm clock. A quarter to five. Kicking off the blankets, he all but rolled out of bed, stripping out of his sweat drenched clothes. 

"Hmm, Sonny?" 

Rifling through one of the dresser drawers, Sonny grabbed a pair of boxers and stumbled into the bathroom. A few minutes later, a knock sounded on the door, before it opened. 

"You alright?" ISabella asked, squinting in the bright light of the bathroom. "You're not throwing up are you?" 

"No," he shook his head, pulling the boxers on. "Sweatin' like a pig though..." 

Stepping forward, Isabella reached up and placed her hand on his forehead; the cool touch made Sonny moan in relief, as he nuzzled against her hand. "You feel so hot," she sighed, shaking her head. "Let's take your temperature again and I'll give you some more medicine." 

Sonny groaned, pouting at her. "No," she shook her head. "It's so early and you should be laying down, Sonny. The last thing I want to do, is take you to the emergency room." 

The thermometer read at one hundred and two point three, before Isabella shoved another dosage of medicine down Sonny's throat. Leading him back to bed, Isabella covered him with the sheet, before settling down next to him.

"Just try to sleep," she murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I'll run out later to get a few things. Then, I'll change the sheets for you."

"You're so good to me," Sonny mumbled, his hands clasped together under his cheek. "I'm goin' to be the worst, Iz. You don't have to stay all weekend with me, ya know. Wouldn't blame ya if you went home.."

Isabella shook her head, "I'm not going anywhere," she insisted. "I love you too much, to leave you here to suffer alone. Who else is gonna take care of you?"

Sonny scowled, sniffing harshly. "Just... remember that when the weekend is over," he begged. "If you still love me, come Monday mornin', then you're really a gift from God himself."

 


	33. around the world in eight hours

On their second full day at Disney World, Sonny and Isabella packed up their two year old and took her to _Epcot_ ; a day of technological innovation and globe trotting without a passport and going broke. They had a quick breakfast at the hotel, getting their cranky girl a plate of Mickey waffles, before boarding the bus to the park. 

"Sunscreen time!" Sonny sang, as he shook the bottle of baby sunscreen at Carina. 

"No!" Carina pouted, shaking her head. "No!" 

Sonny sighed, "If you want a Mickey doll, you have to wear ya sunscreen," he bargained, which quickly perked the toddler up. "Otherwise, ya get nothin'." 

Carina sat quietly on his lap, as he sprayed her down, before putting her little sun hat on. "Look how cute my lil' girl is," he chuckled, as the bus slowly pulled into _Epcot_. "Iz, we make such cute babies." 

"Oh god," Isabella snorted, as she looked up from her phone. "You better hope she gets that Mickey doll, Sonny. Because I don't want to hear her crying, when she doesn't get one by the end of the week." 

They were one of the last few people to get off the bus, before making their way through bag check and admission. Getting Carina to show her magic band, proved to be a hassle, as the toddler struggled with her Daddy. 

"Carry!" she whined, as Sonny tried to get her little wrist up to the indicator. "Carry!" 

"Carina, just work with me here,' Sonny sighed, as the indicator turned red. "Please!" 

After another try, the indicator turned green and they were finally able to go through, much to the amusement of the girl standing at entry. "Have a Magical day!" she said, as Sonny pulled Carina up onto his hip. 

The first thing they saw, which made Isabella gasp, was the giant white ball; the iconic landmark of Epcot, which housed  _Spaceship Earth._

"The ball..." Isabella gasped, as Sonny stood beside her. "Sonny. The ball." 

"Uh oh,' Sonny snickered, looking down at Carina. "Mommy's in love." 

They slowly made their way around the first half of the park, going on  _Spaceship Earth,_ and browsing through the air conditioned shops. Of course, Carina got her Mickey Mouse doll, which she cuddled in her stroller. 

"What do you want to do now?" Sonny asked, looking down at his watch. "We've got reservations in France around 12:30, but it's only 9:15....." 

"I see Starbucks," Isabella said, nodding towards the shop. "Wanna grab a coffee and split a cookie?" 

Sonny snorted, "You can't have anymore coffee, Iz," he reminded her. "Only one cup a day and that's it. I'll get ya a juice or somethin'..." 

Grumbling, they quickly grabbed ice cold beverages and something to eat, before breaking to use the bathroom. Coming out with a freshly diapered Carina, Isabella set the diaper bag under the stroller and handed the little girl over to Sonny. 

"Ready to travel the world?" she asked, stretching her arms up and over her head. 

"With my girls?" Sonny teased, grinning at her. "Of course! C'mon Carina! Let's go travel the world!" 

..............

"You know, we'd never have to really go to half of this countries," Sonny said, as they walked through the French pavilion. "Italy and maybe France, but the others? Norway?" 

"But Carina liked that one..." Isabella pouted, as their daughter babbled in her stroller. "The Frozen ride alone was amazing and she loved it." 

Sonny chuckled, as they reached the restaurant that would be their stop for lunch that day. "If I have to listen to "Let It Go," one more time, I'll throw myself off a roller coaster.." 

Heading into the restaurant, they were quickly seated at a table, while Carina went into a high chair. "It's all French," Sonny said, as they read the menu. "What the hell is this stuff?" 

"Sonny, you knew it was going to be French," she reminded him. "I mean, you let me pick this place out, since we eat Italian ALL the time at home." 

"Yeah, but... it's all in French," he repeated. "What's Carina gonna eat?" 

Isabella read out a few different options for him and for Carina, "She can eat the _pates au jambon et fromage_..." she said, seeing that Carina wouldn't eat Salmon. "Or _blanc de poulet grille_... with mashed potatoes." 

"Tatoes!" Carina squealed. 

"English, Iz," Sonny said. "I don't know French." 

She rolled her eyes, "Pasta with ham and cheese, or a piece of grilled chicken," she translated, scanning the menu for herself. "Daddy should have the _canard aux cerises_ , Rina..." 

Sonny sighed, "What the hell is that..." he mumbled, trying to find the dish. "Yeah, no. Even I know that sounds gross." 

"Duck with cherries, sweet potato puree and zucchini," Isabella giggled, which made Carina giggle as well. "Aw, come on! You make me try all those weird things, when we do Thai takeout or something that's not pizza and Chinese! Try the duck for me!" 

"No way, Iz," he said. "Something that's chicken or beef. I am not eatin' ducks or fish, that are slathered in some kinda cheese sauce. Please, for the love of everythin' that's a cannoli..." 

Carina turned her attention to Sonny and frowned, "Poulet." 

Isabella snorted into her water, as it went up her nose. "What did she say?" Sonny asked, glancing between his wife and his daughter. "What did you say, Carina?" 

"Poulet!" 

Seeing the look on Sonny's face, made Isabella laugh harder. Seeing that Mommy was laughing, Carina began to giggle as well. 

"Sh-she called you a-a- a  _chicken!"_ Isabella squealed, wheezing into her napkin. "Oh! Oh, that's funny!" 

"That's awful," Sonny shook his head, as Carina giggled. "Dissin' me in another language! One that I don't even know!" 

Isabella wiped her eyes with the napkin, "Oh, I gotta tell Maman that one!" she sighed, shaking her head. "She's gonna be so proud!" 

When the waiter came by, taking their orders, they settled into a comfortable silence. "What should we do after this?" Sonny asked, as he took the map of the park of the diaper bag. "We've got a few more countries to hit, before we make it to the other side of the park..." 

"There's a Nemo ride that we could take Carina on," Isabella shrugged. "We could stay for fireworks which start at 9:00..." 

"Hmm, or we could head back to the hotel, put her down for a nap," Sonny shrugged. "Maybe head to  _Hollywood Studios,_ and see the Star Wars fireworks. We did _Happily Ever After_ last night at the Kingdom..." 

Isabella nodded, "So lets hit the last few countries, do the Nemo ride and head back to the hotel," she said. "It's just a little after 1:15 now, so by the time we finish it'll be closer to 3:30.. 4:00. We could let her nap for an hour or two, while we shower and relax.  _Hollywood Studios_ has magic hours tonight, so we can stay out a little later and do some kid-friendly rides. Or walk around to meet characters..." 

He nodded, "Too bad we can't do the crazy stuff," he sighed, watching as Carina played with her new Mickey doll. "Next time, we'll have to bring our parents down with us. That way, they can watch the kids while we go on the crazy stuff..." 

"Hopefully next time, I won't be pregnant," she sighed, placing her hand against her growing belly.  "And that the kids will be a little older, so they can get their first taste of thrill rides.." 

Eating their food, which Carina devoured, as did Isabella, they paid and made their way outside. "I wanna take a few pictures and send them to Maman," Isabella said, as she took out her phone. "Plus, I need a new picture of my two favorite people in the entire world." 

Sonny chuckled, as he pushed the stroller. "Bribery, Mrs. Carisi?" he teased, as they walked. "I am shocked." 

"Yet, you let me get away with it all the time," she shot back, nudging him with her elbow. "I let you take pictures of me all the time, so one little picture of you won't kill ya." 

Finding a nice spot, Sonny took Carina out of the stroller, sitting down with her on a bench, "Let's take a picture for Mommy," he said, sitting Carina on his lap. "The faster she takes her picture, the faster we can get outta France." 

"Sonny!" 

He snorted, which made Carina squeal, as she reached up to place her hand on his cheek. With Sonny smiling down at their baby, Isabella quickly took the candid shot, along with a few others, before standing up. 

"Done?" Sonny asked, surprised. 

"I got my money shot," Isabella nodded, looking at the first photo she took. "And I'm so getting this framed for our work desks and home." 

..............

Hitting the rest of the world, along with a deep sea dive with Nemo and friends, they took the bus back to the hotel. Lugging a stroller and a few shopping bags up to their room, Sonny carried the sleeping toddler over to her bed. Making a quick diaper change, Sonny stripped her out of her sweaty clothes and tucked her under the cool sheets. 

"She should sleep for another hour or two," he whispered, as Isabella set the bags down on their bed. "Poor kid was out as soon as we got on the bus.." 

"The sun will do that to ya," she shrugged. "Along with the battle cry she released, when she spotted Belle and Aurora in France. I thought she was going to rip their wigs off..." 

Sonny closed up the stroller and placed it against the wall, before heading over to the bathroom. "Well, at least it'll make a great story," he shrugged, pulling his shirt up and over his head. "I for one, cannot wait to meet Chewbacca and Kylo Ren later. I've waited my entire life to meet Chewy, and I get to share that moment with my daughter." 

"You're such a nerd," Isabella giggled, as he grabbed a pair of boxers and shorts from his suitcase. "I love it." 

"C'mon, there's gotta be some character you're excited to meet," Sonny said, setting the clothes down on the counter. 

She shrugged, "Well, Belle was one of them," she said. "And of course, you can't go wrong with the classics. Mickey and Minnie Mouse..." 

He sighed, waiting for her to continue. "Oh, alright!" Isabella sighed. "I wanna meet as many as possible! But I really, really,  _reaaaalllly_ wanna meet Merida from Brave!" 

"The ginger girl?" Sonny asked, which made Isabella scowl. "She's got her own little post, right? Okay, so tomorrow, we're going to go back to the Kingdom to meet as many characters as possible. And, I'm going to take my wife to meet her favorite princess." 

"You will?" Isabella asked, as Sonny pulled her towards him. 

He nodded, "This trip is for both of you," he reminded her. "It's a family vacation, yes. But it's also for yours and Carina's birthdays. The last big trip as a family of three, before we do the whole newborn thing again." 

Isabella wrapped her arms around his waist, "Thank you," she said, as he dropped a kiss to her forehead. "For everything, Sonny. For being an amazing husband and an equally amazing father to our little girl." 

"It's the greatest honor of my life, Iz.," Sonny said truthfully. "Every moment of every single day." 

From the bed, Carina stirred, rolling onto her belly; her limbs sprawled out like a starfish, as she went face first into the plush pillow. 

"Just like her Mommy," Sonny shook his head, as Isabella giggled. "C'mon, let's take a shower. If one of us needs to rest, it's you. Doctor Brown would  _slaughter_ me, if anythin' were to happen to you or the baby." 

"So do you," Isabella reminded him, as she pulled her dress up and over her head. "I can't send you back to the squad, exhausted from this trip. They'd never let you go away again!" 

 

 


	34. shopping blues

Isabella grumbled, as she chucked the offending shirt into the corner of the dressing room. Eyeing the hangers of tops and bottoms, Isabella yanked them all off the hook and opened the door to the fitting room. 

"Hey.." Sonny started as he turned around. "How'd it g-" 

He was hit with a pile of clothes, before the door slammed shut. Looking down at the floral prints and various fabrics, Sonny sighed. He knew this shopping trip would be tough, considering the fact that Isabella didn't want to go on it. But when she struggled to zip up her jeans the day before, Sonny knew the time had come to shop for maternity clothes. A day at  _Old Navy_ was not how Isabella wanted to spend her Saturday, but with Spring coming and her expanding -everything-, Isabella knew she had no other choice. 

Usually, shopping was easier when Sonny was around, for he brought out the confidence in Isabella, that she struggled with for so long. But now? Now it was different. Now, it was maternity wear. Clothes to fit her body, which seemed to grow bigger and bigger as the days went by. The clothes weren't as sexy, as well as stylish as the ones collecting dust in their closet. Being only five and a half months in, Isabella looked like a stuffed turkey for a family of twenty. Not the ladies, who molded the clothes online, with their cute little bellies and smallish boobs. 

"Iz," Sonny started, as he opened the door to the dressing room, stepping inside. 

Isabella was sitting on the bench in the dressing room, dressed only her in bra and panties. "I don't wanna try anything else on," she mumbled, as he set the clothes down next to her. 

"Babe, you literally walked in here like.. five seconds ago," Sonny reasoned, taking her hands into his, as he knelt in front of her. "What's wrong?" 

She pouted, "I look stupid," she whined. "My boobs are too big and I look lumpy and frumpy..." 

He sighed, "Iz, we're not leavin' until you try everythin' on," he said, which made her pout. "And I want to see what ya look like." 

"But S-" Isabella started, before he stopped her. 

"Stop bein' so hard on yourself, Iz," Sonny urged, shaking her lightly. "You're gorgeous and I bet you look amazin' in all of these clothes.." 

Grabbing the first item off the top of the pile, Sonny pulled Isabella up to her feet. "Why can't I just wear your clothes to work? she asked, as he pulled the floral printed shirt over her head. 

Sonny snorted, as her arms went through the sleeves. "Because, I don't think sweats and ratty old shirts are part of your dress code," he reasoned, making her turn around to face the mirror. "This is cute. And, it brings out the pink in your cheeks and your eyes.." 

With his arms around her waist, his hands cradling her belly, Sonny rested his chin against her shoulder. "Do you trust me enough, to let me help you with this?" he asked, as they swayed together. "Even if you just get stretch pants and the same shirt in every color, I'll consider it a success." 

"Can I still wear your clothes when I'm home?" 

"They look better on you, than they ever did on me," Sonny shrugged, which made her giggle. "You're beautiful, Iz." 

Isabella blushed as he kissed the side of her head, "C'mon," he said, patting her hips lightly. "Let's try the rest on and see what works and what doesn't..." 

...............

"That yellow dress is gonna be a big hit," Sonny said, as they walked down the busy sidewalk. "I can feel it now, Iz." 

"Yeah, for now," Isabella snorted. "By Easter, I'll be the size of a honey glazed ham. I'll just end up wearing shirts that are five sizes too big, that come down to my knees. I won't even need pants at that point!" 

Sonny shook his head, "What's next on ya list?" he asked, as they waited at the corner. "What else do you need to get?" 

Isabella scowled, "Bras and underwear," she mumbled. "I only have two pairs of underwear that fit perfectly, since they're cotton. Ever since we got together, I ditched cotton and adopted lace and barely there coverage." 

"Where's the store?" Sonny asked, taking her hand into his. 

"I can just do it when Maman comes out next weekend" she shrugged, as they crossed the street. "I'll be fine for the work week." 

He scoffed, "Iz, you have two paris of panties that fit comfortably," he pointed out. "And that bra you have on, is barely holdin' it together at this rate. Why don't you want me to go with you to buy your underthings?" 

"Because!" she whined. "They're huge and veiny! And," she quickly lowered her voice. "My nipples look like freakin' beacons! They're not perky anymore, nor could they fit perfectly in your hands like they used to!" 

"Iz, stop," Sonny said, pulling her to the side of the sidewalk, away from the pedestrians. "Boobs are boobs and I just happen to like yours. Huge and veiny or the size of my palms, I have no preference. I do, however, have a preference for your comfort. And I prefer to see you happy and comfortable, not tugging at your bra. Which you're doin' right now.." 

She dropped her hand, scowling at him. "You just want to fondle me in the dressing room," she retorted weakly. 

He rolled his eyes, "I want to make sure you're comfortable, Iz," he sighed. "You'd rather do this with your Mother? Frenchie, who always makes a face when you pick out somethin' you like?" 

"Well..... no..." Isabella shrugged. 

"Tell me where the place is and we'll see what's nice," Sonny said. "After that, I'll buy you a snack and we can go home. If ya want, I'll paint ya toes." 

Isabella nodded slowly, "Alright," she gave in. "I'll  _try_ them on, but I'm not making any promises. If I need to, I'll just wrap them up with an ace bandage and call it a day." 

...................

Sonny whistled suggestively, as Isabella came out of the bathroom, dressed in one of her maternity night gowns; a sleeveless knee length gown, in a deep green with pink and blue flowers. One of a three that Sonny had picked out, because they were "super soft" and made her look "super sexy," which was enough for Isabella. 

"Oh stop," Isabella said, blushing. 

"You look  _sexy,_ baby," Sonny grinned, as he lounged against the pillows; propped up against the headboard. "Look at those legs." 

Isabella shook her head, turning around to look at herself in the mirror. "Ooh, I see some lace, Mrs. Carisi," Sonny continued, as Isabella ran the brush through her hair. "You tryin' to _seduce_  me up here?" 

"You wish." 

He snorted, putting his hands behind his head. "Why are ya actin' shy?" he asked, as she finished getting ready for bed. 

Setting the brush down, Isabella made her way over to the bed, pulling the blankets down on her side. "I'm not acting shy," she said, setting her engagement ring on the small dish, before climbing into bed. 

"Yes you are," Sonny said, watching as she rolled onto her side. "You're blushin'..." 

"Because you're being dorky," Isabella mumbled, pulling the blankets up to her waist. "And, I'm not feeling really sexy at the moment. 

Sliding closer to her, Sonny wrapped his arm around her waist. "Why not?" he asked. 

Isabella sighed, "I'm constipated like you' never believe," she said. "And... my breasts are doing this  _leaking_ thing. I had to put a bra on, with actual nursing pads in the cups." 

"Leakin'?" 

"Yeah, I'm leaking," Isabella yawned. "I'm a lactating cow, Sonny. I can't poop and my boobies are leaking milk. Milk for a baby that hasn't busted out of my uterus yet. Our daughter is reigning hell upon me and I can't do a thing about it.." 

Sonny snorted, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I still think you're hot," he shrugged. "Why didn't you say anythin' earlier, though? I would've made somethin' different for dinner, or I could've gone down to the store to find somethin' for ya to snack on. Bananas or whatever..." 

She shrugged, "I'll just eat a lot of fiber tomorrow and hope that it works," she said. "We can cuddle if ya want though." 

Turning the light off, Sonny moved back to Isabella, wrapping his arm around her again. "You do look sexy though," he said, as she snuggled up against his chest. "I like the nightgown." 

"My husband picked it out," Isabella yawned again. "He's got great taste in maternity clothes." 

"Well, your husband is a lucky guy," Sonny teased, making her giggle. "By the way, I did that entire basket of laundry today.." 

"Which means..." 

Sonny chuckled, "All my flannel bottoms are in the dresser, waitin' to cover your cute butt," he said, as she squealed happily. "But... I do hope you wear a nightgown or two. Mix it up a bit, so I can admire every inch of ya." 

 


	35. dreaded phone calls

"Carisi, your phone is ringing again!" 

Dropping the I-Pad on the table, Sonny rushed over to his desk, searching under papers for his phone. 

"Where are ya?" he muttered, lifting up folders. "Ah!" 

The familiar number of Carina and Evelina's school, flashed upon the screen, before the call ended. 

"Everything alright?" Liv asked, watching the detective from her spot at the board. 

"Ah, it's the school callin'," Sonny said, turning around to look at them. "They called three times in the last ten minutes..." 

Liv nodded, "Take my office and call them back," she said. 

Doing just that, Sonny found himself being transferred to the nurses office, where he got the one phone call he'd hoped to never get. 

"Carina fell off the monkey bars at school," Mrs. Paulson said. "I don't think anything's broken, but she has a nasty cut on her head." 

"Okay," Sonny nodded, as he paced back and forth. "Umm.." 

"She'll need to get it checked out ASAP, Mr. Carisi," she continued. "We can have her transported to the closest hospital or.." 

Sonny felt his heart drop, "No,no, I'm leavin' work right now," he said, moving out of Olivia's office. "I'll be there as soon as possible!" 

Hanging up, Sonny grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, along with his keys and wallet from the desk. 

"What's going on?" Amanda asked. 

"Carina got hurt at school," he said, quickly dialing Isabella's work number. "She needs to go to the hospital to get- Hi, yes. This is Dominick Carisi, Isabella Carisi's husband, I need you to patch  me through to her classroom or whatever it is you do.." 

The woman on the other end started protesting, "Just PATCH her through!" Sonny snapped. "It's a family emergency!" 

Liv nodded, "Fin, go with him," she said, nodding to the older man. "Drive. Do not let him behind the wheel." 

"On it," Fin said, as he went to collect the keys to one of the squad cars. 

"Sonny, calm down," Liv said, as he waited for Isabella to pick up. "What happened?" 

Sonny ran his hand down his face, "She fell off the monkey bars and cut her head," he said, as Liv nodded. "I thought these playgrounds were supposed to have people watchin' the kids!" 

She nodded "They do, Sonny, they do," she insisted. "Sometimes these things happen.." 

 _"Hello?"_  

"Iz!" Sonny sighed in relief. "I need ya to get a sub or someone to watch ya class. The school called and Carina got hurt on the playground." 

Liv heard the shrill " _WHAT!?!"_ as Fin stepped up to them with the car keys. 

"Keep us posted," Liv said, nodding to Fin. "And please, for the love of god, don't get yourselves killed in the process." 

...............

Sonny sat on the exam table, holding Carina in his arms, as she dozed off; her thumb nestled in her mouth, a habit that was hard to break, even at six years old. 

"You'll have to keep the area dry for a day or two, and gently wash around the area," the doctor said, as he went over the aftercare directions. "Now, these stitches are not dissolve, so they'll have to come out after seven to ten days. For now, you'll have to apply an antibiotic ointment to the site and around,..."

Carina stirred, her legs stretching out along Sonny's lap, before going still; a stream of snores filled the room, as Sonny watched her. 

"If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to call me," the doctor said, looking at both Isabella and Sonny. "She'll have a headache, which can be treated with children's Motrin and rest. No physical activities until she goes in for her follow up, which you will have to schedule with her pediatrician..: 

"But everythin' else.." Sonny started, looking up from the sleeping girl. "She's goin' to be fine, right?" 

The doctor nodded ,"Carina will be just fine, Mr. Carisi," he said, seeing the panic on his face. "Her scans came back clear and the cut, while it was deep enough for stitches, will close up in a week or two. Just keep a close eye for any infections or swelling, along with a fever or drainage." 

Sonny nodded, turning his attention back to Carina. "I'll get her discharge papers together, along with a doctor's note for her school, " the doctor said to Isabella. "It might be a good idea to keep her home tomorrow, just to let her rest." 

After he left the room, Isabella made her way over to the exam table, placing a hand on Carina's arm. "Poor thing," she shook her head, watching as the little girl slept. "I'm going to stay home with her tomorrow. I'll keep Lina and Siena home too..." 

"Do you think she's gonna be alright?" Sonny asked. 

"Yes," Isabella nodded, looking up at him. "It was a clean cut, Sonny. Head wounds tend to look worse, because there's so much blood in this region. The most she'll be is crabby for a week or two, because she'll be indoors and sitting out of gym class.." 

He sighed, "I was so scared, when the nurse told me she got hurt.." he admitted, shaking his head. "I shoulda kept my phone on me... I usually do, but today.." 

Isabella placed her hands on either side of his face, "Sonny, it's alright," she soothed. "It's scary, seeing your child in the hospital like this, but Carina's going to be fine. By the time she's got her stitches out and gets the clear from the pediatrician, she'll be her wild self again." 

"Yeah, well.... she's not goin' on those monkey bars again," he shook his head. "And, I plan on goin' down to that school tomorrow, just to have a nice chat with the principle." 

Not wanting to get him riled up, Isabella just nodded. "We'll take the girls home and I'll get some stuff at the corner market," she said. "I'm sure Fin is itching to get out of our apartment, especially bein' stuck there with a four year old and a one year old..." 

Isabella snorted, "Must've been quite the picture, taking Evelina to get Siena from her daycare," she shook her head. "A hot pink diaper bag and two little girls, fussing up a storm." 

.............

"Sissy has a boo boo, Daddy," Evelina whispered, as they watched Carina sleep. "A big boo boo. Uncle Fin tolds me that they had to put string in her!" 

Sonny snorted, "She's got a few stitches in there, but she's gonna be fine," he promised, as the four year old looked at Carina. "Mommy's gonna keep you guys home tomorrow, so I need you to be a good girl. Help out around the house and listen to what Mommy says, alright?" 

Evelina nodded, moving across the mattress to kiss Carina's cheek lightly. "Daddy?" she asked, as she went back to Sonny. 

"What,  _Mimma?"_ he asked, scooping her up into his arms, as they started out of the bedroom. 

"Can I has cookies?" Evelina asked, batting her eyelashes at him. "Pllllleeeasseeee?"

Sonny snorted, as they made their way into the kitchen, where Isabella stood by the sink. "You can have two cookies," he said, getting a cheer out of the little girl. "And since it's still early and you're not goin' to school tomorrow, I'll let you watch a lil bit of your cartoons." 

Evelina nodded, "Kay!" she squeaked, as Sonny opened the package of cookies. 

After leaving the hospital and returning home, they freed Fin from his Uncle duties, having gone through three princess movies. Sending him off with a large travel cup of fresh coffee, along with a handful of cookies, they went to work on dinner. Making sure Carina ate a few bites of plain noodles, Sonny gave her a dose of Motrin and got her into bed.

"Let's put the TV on," Sonny said, as he placed Evelina down. "But ya gotta keep quiet, Lina. You don't want to wake your sisters up now.."

"Don't get crumbs on my couch," Isabella warned, as she set the plates into the dishwasher.

Getting Evelina situated on the couch, Sonny came back into the kitchen to help clean up. "Is she sleeping?" Isabella asked, placing a few cups on the top rack. 

"Out like a light," he mused, wiping the counters down. "Lina was concerned about the string in her head, but she promises to be a good girl tomorrow." 

Isabella snorted, "Hopefully they'll all nap for most of the day," she said, putting soap into the dishwasher. "Did you call Liv?" 

Sonny nodded, "I told her I'm goin' in tomorrow, but if I were to change my mine, it's fine," he shrugged, tossing the paper towels into the trash. "I'll see how Carina's doin' in the mornin' before I make that decision..." 

"Go to work," Isabella said, setting the rubber gloves on the counter. "If anything, I'll call you. The most we'll do tomorrow is sleep and watch princess movies. I'll finally get to work, cleaning this place up and doing laundry." 

"Yeah but still...." Sonny shrugged. 

Isabella made her way over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I promise to call you if  _anything_ seems off," she promised. "Even if she's just being her crabby old self, I will call you." 

Sonny pouted, "Promise?" 

"I promise," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "Just get through tomorrow and you'll be home for two whole days. Two days, in which you can watch her like a hawk." 

"I know I'm bein' ridiculous," Sonny nodded. "I just worry a lot, Iz. About the girls and you, especially when I'm at work all day and at random hours..." 

She kissed him, "I know and I love you for that," she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "But you need to calm down, before you have a major panic attack. Or go all grey, before you turn forty." 

He scoffed, opening his mouth to retort, when another voice sounded in the kitchen. 

"Daddy?" 

Turning around quickly, the couple found Carina standing in the entryway of their kitchen, rubbing her eye with a closed fist. "What are you doin' out of be,  _topolina?"_ Sonny asked, rushing towards her. "Are you feelin' alright? " 

Carina nodded, "I'm hungry," she pouted, her sleepy eyes staring back at him. "Can I have cookies?" 

"Just like her sissy and her Daddy," Isabella snorted, as Sonny picked her up. "You can have two cookies and Daddy will tuck ya back into bed." 

"I'll even read you a story,  _topolina,"_ Sonny promised, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "How does your head feel?" 

As Isabella handed over the napkin with two cookies, she stepped back and watched as Sonny brought Carina over to the table, keeping her on his lap as she ate. 

"Well, you can spend all day tomorrow in bed," Sonny said, as she rested her head against his shoulder. "I'll bring home ice cream for my princess and this weekend, we'll watch all the princess movies ya want." 

 _"Frozen,_ Daddy," Carina yawned. "I wanna watch  _Frozen."_

Cupcake and Leia took that opportunity to jump up onto the kitchen table, meowing and stalking over to them. "Alright," Sonny sighed, standing up from the chair. "Let's go read a story. Cupcake, Leia, are you two comin'?" 

Leia plopped down on the table, rolling onto her back, while Cupcake jumped down and rushed ahead of them towards the stairs. 

"Your loss, Leia," Sonny shrugged, shifting Carina against his hip. "Iz, I'll be back in a little bit." 

"Take your time," Isabella said, smiling at the two of them. "I'll still be here when you come back." 

Sonny nodded and made his way out of the kitchen, starting for the stairs. "Which story do you want tonight, sweetheart?" she heard him ask. "Princesses or Harry Potter?" 

Shaking her head, Isabella made her way out of the kitchen and towards the living room. "Alright, Lina," she sighed. "What are we watching tonight?" 

 

 


	36. Carina Rose Carisi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birth of Carina Rose.

The contractions started on a Saturday night, roughly a week after her corrected due date. And of course, Sonny was out cold and snoring, after spending the entire day running errands. 

" _Gotta be prepared, Iz. If the baby decides to come this weekend, instead of waitin' until Monday, we're gonna need stuff!"_

When June thirteenth came and went, Isabella waited anxiously for the first signs of labor; the painful, breath-taking contractions, her water breaking, something more than a few swift kicks to her liver. What she didn't expect was to wake up with lower abdominal pain, reminiscent of period cramps. Then, the contractions started and she knew this wasn't a false alarm. 

They knew labor was coming, weeks beforehand, when the baby "dropped", as Doctor Brown put it. That their baby girl was making her way into Isabella's pelvis and getting ready to jailbreak. After that, Isabella waddled around the apartment like a penguin and peed every five minutes. However, she was able to breathe a bit better, as the pressure on her lungs lightened significantly. And that was very important, now that they were heading into summer. Then came the nesting period, where all she did was clean and organize their entire apartment. 

" _You look like a Mama bird, preppin' the nest for winter,"_ Sonny teased, as he watched her prepare for another long nap. 

"Sonny," Isabella shook the man awake. "Sonny, wake up!" 

"Hmmmm, no," Sonny mumbled, rolling over to press his face into the pillow. 

Isabella grumbled, her breath hitching as another contraction hit her, making her growl. "DOMINICK!" she shouted, punching him on the shoulder. 

This woke Sonny up quickly, his head shooting up off the pillow, moving to look around the room. "Huh?" he grunted, as Isabella panted lightly. 

"Sonny, I'm having contractions," she said, as he rolled over to look at her. 

"What?" 

She rolled her eyes, "The baby is coming," she said, which made him jump out of bed. "Wait!" 

"The baby is comin'!" Sonny shouted, as he dove nearly headfirst into their closet. "Shit! Why didn't you try to wake me, Iz?!" 

"What was I just doing?" she muttered to herself, as she grabbed her phone on the nightstand. "I'll call Doctor Brown.." 

Pulling on clothes, Sonny turned the lights on and quickly went about, checking the bag that they packed back in May. Extra clothes for them, toiletries and their daughter's outfit for the trip home. 

"Yes, of course," Isabella said, as she slowly stood up from the bed. "No, my water didn't break yet. Contractions are about.. ten minutes apart?"

"Ma? Ma, Iz is in labor!" Sonny said, as he stepped into the bathroom with his phone. "We're gonna head to the hospital..." 

Isabella listened to the doctor, as Sonny spoke with Angela in the other room. "Alright, I'll put a call in at Lennox Hill and I'll meet you guys there," Doctor Brown said. "If anything changes, I need you to call me. If your water breaks, contractions grow closer together, anything." 

"We will," Isabella promised, as Sonny came out. "See you soon." 

Hanging up, Isabella turned and looked at Sonny. "Ma's gonna wake Pop up and they'll come out first thing in the mornin'," he said, coming over to her. "How do you feel?" 

She sighed, "Relieved and terrified all at once," she admitted, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll have to call Maman when we get checked in. Doctor Brown is heading out to Lennox Hill now and we'll meet him up in the maternity ward.." 

"What do you wanna do? Cab or Subway?" 

"Call for a cab," Isabella nodded. "If my water breaks, I want it done in a cab. Not on the subway with drunks and whack jobs." 

Sonny nodded and kissed her forehead. "We're gonna have a baby," he whispered, as she gripped his forearms. 

Isabella nodded, "We're gonna have a baby." 

.............

There were so many wires coming out of various places, which made Sonny uncomfortable to look at. The number of IV's that Isabella had in her hands, to the monitor wrapped around her belly. She looked like a science experiment; a sweating, cursing and emotionally deranged science experiment. Two hours after checking into their room, Isabella went from early labor to active labor. 

When they got to the hospital a little after eleven, her water broke; a gush of liquid hitting the floor, as she changed out of her clothes and into a gown. By then, she had only been three centimeters dilated and no where near ready to push. 

Now, a little after one in the morning, Isabella was ready for it to end. At six centimeters dilated, she skipped the offer for an epidural and tried her best to cope with breathing exercises and daydreaming of fruity alcoholic beverages and lying on a beach with her husband. Anything to keep her mind off the pain, along with the concept of pushing a baby out of her vagina sometime in the next few hours. 

"If you wanna scream, scream," Sonny said, as she gripped his hand tightly. "I'm sure the others won't mind, since they're doin' the same thing." 

"Sonny, I suggest you stay quiet," Isabella hissed, as she squirmed in pain. "Because right now, I  _realllly_ want to punch you in the balls." 

He whistled, "Jesus, Iz," he shook his head, as she let out a long and shaky breath. 

Lying back against the pillows, Isabella placed her feet flat on the bed, and placed both hands on her belly. "Okay, it's going to be okay," she said softly, as she took deep breaths in and out. "It's going to be fine. Just.. think of happy things. Happy things, Iz. Happy, painless, things." 

There was a knock on the door, before it was opened, revealing Noelle and Antonio. " _Mon cherie!"_ Noelle gasped, as she made her way around the hospital bed. 

"Hey, Sonny," Antonio greeted his son-in-law, hugging him tightly. "I tried to get her to wait until the sun was up, but she wouldn't hear it.' 

"Nah, it's alright," Sonny said, as Antonio patted his back. 

As Isabella and Noelle spoke in a flurry of French, the boys moved towards the door. "How's she doin'?" Antonio asked. 

Sonny sighed, "She's as good as one would be," he shrugged. "Doc came in an half hour ago to check on her. Six centimeters and refused the epidural." 

"Just like her Ma," the older man shook his head. "Your Pop called the house, just before we left. Said they'll be here around seven, seven thirty the latest. They're already dressed and ready to leave the house, just to catch the first ferry out." 

"Man, I thought we'd have a better plan for all this," Sonny snorted, shaking his head. "I still have to put everythin' together for the changin' table. We figured that by Monday, everythin' would be set..." 

His father-in-law nodded, "Wishful thinkin', kid," he shrugged. "At least it's finally happenin', instead of waiting another week." 

There was a cry, as Isabella went through another contraction; her arms wrapped tightly around Noelle, who she practically pulled onto the bed. 

"MOTHERFUCKER!" 

"I'll just... wait out here," Antonio nodded, moving out into the hallway. "Good Luck!" 

Sonny sighed and made his way over to Isabella's bedside quickly, helping Noelle detangle herself from Isabella's iron-clad grip. 

The older woman stroked her daughter's forehead, which was now damp with sweat. "Shhh,  _ma cherie,"_ she soothed, as Isabella whined. "You're almost there. It's almost over." 

" _Maman.."_ she whimpered. 

Sonny felt helpless, as his wife laid there in pain; the process of bringing their child into the world, was not a kind and painless process. Seeing the exhaustion on her face, halfway through the laboring process, made him worry. He knew they had a long way to go, before it was time to deliver. Glancing at the clock on the wall, it was now a quarter to two in the morning. 

"How about you and Sonny walk about the room, hm?" Noelle suggested. "Your papa and I did that, when I was in labor with you. Try to stand and move a bit, to take the pressure off your back.. 

"Yeah," Sonny cleared his throat, nodding. "We don't have to go far, Iz. We can stand right here, next to the bed and I'll hold ya." 

Nodding slowly, both Noelle and Sonny moved to get her up and out of bed; adjusting the wires and her hospital gown in the process. Standing close to the bed, Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist, and together they slowly swayed side to side. 

"Shhh," he kissed the top of her head. "You're almost there, babe. Almost there.. 

"Hmmm," she sighed, her arms going around his neck. "Hurts." 

Sonny didn't see Noelle move to her bag, pulling out her camera. Quietly, the older woman stood back and snapped a few pictures of the two of them; taking photographic evidence of this moment, as they too transitioned into the stage of parenthood. 

"I love you," Isabella sighed, as Sonny moved his hands up and down her back. 

"I love you, too," he murmured, as she tightened her hold on him. "Easy, easy, just breathe.. 

As the contraction came and went, leaving Isabella a whimpering mess, Sonny could only hope for a quick relief.  

.................

It was a six-thirty in the morning, when Doctor Brown came in and declared Isabella "ready for a baby!", as he and his crew of nurses prepped. 

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Isabella chanted, as her feet went up into the stirrups, which magically appeared from under the bed. 

"Alright Isabella," Doctor Brown started, as he sat at the end of the bed on a stool. "Let's get this show on the road!" 

The first couple of pushes were overwhelming, as the contractions came and went quickly, while the doctor spoke. 

"I can see the top of her head," he announced, as Isabella panted during another contraction. 

"It hurts!" she hissed, gritting her teeth. 

Noelle peered down and nodded, "The head isn't out yet, but it will be soon," she noted, as Sonny smoothed her sweat-drenched locks away from her forehead. "Just breathe, Isabella." 

Isabella did just that, only to let out a screech of pain, as the head of their baby began to stretch parts of her body. "Son of a  _bitch!"_ she howled, digging her nails into Sonny's hand. 

"What happened?" he asked, trying to breathe through his own pain, as Isabella growled. 

"IT"S RIPPING ME APART!" she screamed, as the doctor urged her to breathe and calm down. 

Another two pushes went, before Isabella opened her mouth to scream, only for nothing to come out. Sonny was alarmed at that point, as sat up in the hospital bed, silently screaming as tears rolled down her face. 

"She's crowning!" Doctor Brown said, alerting the nurse next to him. "Get the suction ready." 

He then looked up at Isabella, who finally let out a painful cry. "Now, I just need you to push a little bit, Iz. But not too hard and not too fast, alright?" 

Isabella shook her head, "No, no, no!" she wheezed, crying pitifully before them all. "No more!" 

"Iz," Sonny started, reaching up to cup her face in his head. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay!" 

"Sonny, it hurts s-s-so bad!" she sobbed, as Noelle took a damp cloth from the nurse, dabbing it along the back of Isabella's neck. 

He nodded, "I know it does and I'm sorry," he said, as she heaved another sob. "But, you're almost done. In a few minutes, we're gonna have a lil' girl. Alright? You're doin' so good right now, baby! You're so strong and you're kickin' ass right now." 

Isabella let out a watery sob, nodding her head quickly. "Okay?" he asked her, as she nodded. 

"O-okay," she gasped, as he took hold of her hand again. 

"Good," Sonny kissed the side of her cheek. "Now, push!" 

Fixing her grip on both Sonny and Noelle's hands, Isabella did just that, before stopping as the doctor cleared the baby's nose and mouth of fluid. 

"Here comes the neck and the shoulders," Doctor Brown announced, as he slowly guided the top half of their daughter out. "One more push!" 

Taking in a deep breath, Isabella did just that, as the room filled with the shrill cries of a newborn, as the pressure was released from her exit into the world. Another quick task of suctioning her mouth and nose, Doctor Brown placed the wrinkly and wet newborn onto Isabella's belly. 

"Look at her!" Noelle gasped, as she began to cry. "Oh! Oh, Isabella!" 

The little girl cried, as Isabella reached out and touched her, marveling over the sight of her. She managed, with the help of her mother and a nurse, to pull the little girl into her arms.

"Come cut the cord, Daddy!" another nurse said, once it was clamped.

"Hi," Isabella sniffled, as she held her daughter in her arms. "Hi, sweetheart! Look at you! You're so big!"

Once the baby was free, Sonny made his way back up to Isabella, who turned and smiled at him. "She's here," she nodded, as another fresh set of tears welled up in her eyes.

Sonny nodded and reached out, his fingers brushing against the baby's legs. "She's here," he marveled, as he too began to tear up.

There was a flurry of movement again, as the baby was handed over to Sonny, who then followed a nurse over to the side of the room.

"Nine pounds, four ounces! Eighteen and a half inches long! " the nurse announced, as Baby Girl Carisi was weighed and measured.

"She's a perfect meatball, Iz!" Sonny exclaimed, as she went through the final stage of delivery. "A perfect lil' meatball!" 

He heard her laugh and groan, as the doctor helped her deliver the placenta. "Thank god for that," she murmured.

The nurse took a few notes, before wrapping the baby in a blanket. "She'll have to go to the nursery for a bit," she said. "But, let's see if she's up for a feeding. Some babies latch on very quickly after birth, but what we really want to see, is the skin-on-skin contact." 

"Okay," Sonny nodded, as the swaddled newborn was handed over to him. "Hi,  _topolina!_ I'm your Daddy!" 

In that moment, in the middle of the delivery room, Sonny Carisi fell deeply in love again. 

............

By noon, Isabella was resting comfortably in her room again, dressed in a new gown and between clean sheets. After being whisked off to the nursery for footprints, eye drops and everything else that came with a freshly delivered baby, they were finally reunited. 

Sonny couldn't stop watching her, even when he wasn't holding her. During her first moments with Isabella, just laying against her bare skin and her first feeding. Once her temperature was stable enough, a nurse came in to give her a bath. 

 _"Just a quick rinse to get that stick feeling off,"_ the nurse said, as she reached for a small brush. " _Such a beautiful little girl! Hair as bright as a new penny!"_

Sonny sent out the first picture of his daughter to the squad, once they were back in their room. Then it was sent to his sisters, who without a doubt, sent it to every member of the Carisi clan. When his parents arrived, a little after nine, he met with them in the waiting room before brining them back to meet their newest grandchild. 

"She's so beautiful," Angela gasped, as she held her granddaughter. "She's the perfect combination of you two." 

"Look at all that hair!" Dominick chuckled, shaking his head. "Hopefully she didn't inherit Sonny's need for hair gel!" 

Swaddled up in a pink blanket, the baby slept soundly in Angela's arms, as Antonio and Joey came into the room. 

Noelle, who moved like a mad woman around the room, in the hours after delivery, rushed right to her husband and son. 

"Come! Come meet her!" she all but squealed, grabbing her husband by the wrist. "You too, Joey!" 

"Noelle, relax," Antonio said, as he took the chair near the windows. "I'll have my turn!" 

Angela stood up and made her way towards him, "We've got plenty of time to hold her," she said, easing the sleeping baby into his arms. 

As soon as he saw her, Antonio was smitten; this little angel, who looked like her Mother, brought back memories from her birth almost thirty one years previously. And when she opened her eyes, blinking up at him in a hazy wonder, Antonio sobbed. 

"Mia carina..." he gasped. 

"Carina," Isabella whispered, turning to look up at Sonny. "Carina." 

He nodded, smiling softly at her. "Mia Carina," he repeated, as Antonio and Noelle sat together with their first grandchild. "She's our lil darlin', Iz." 

Isabella nodded, "Carina Rose. Let's name her Carina Rose," she said, laying back against the extra pillows; which Sonny sweet talked the elderly nurse into getting for Isabella." 

"Carina Rose Carisi," Sonny said, nodding slowly. "She's gonna be spoiled rotten, Iz." 

"Tell me about it," she snorted, as Antonio handed Joey his niece. "This is just a small portion of the family, Sonny. Just wait until the squad meets her later.." 

He chuckled, turning his attention to her. "We made a cute kid, Iz," he said, as she yawned. 

"Hmm, we did, huh?" she nodded in agreement. "I'm gonna rest my eyes for a bit. Wake me if the nurse comes in to take her, okay?" 

"I will," Sonny promised, as she settled under the blankets. 

As Isabella fell asleep, much needed after the hours of labor and delivery, Sonny watched as their parents and Joey "ooh'd" and "ahh'd" over the newest member of the family. And when the nurse came in to kick them out, since it was "time for Mommy and baby to rest,", Sonny promised to let them back in when it was possible. 

"Go out and get somethin' to eat, guys," he said, as Angela hugged and kissed him. "As soon as Carina's asleep, I'm gonna rest my eyes a bit." 

"Do you want me to bring you somethin"?" Angela asked. "I'll bring ya a sandwich from the deli.." 

He shook his head, "Nah, I'm good," he insisted. "If anything, I'll get a cup of coffee."

His mother sighed and looked over at Noelle, who did the same. "We bring you food," Noelle said, as she grabbed her purse. "Don't fight us, Sonny." 

"Trust me, I don't want to," Sonny insisted. "I'll call ya soon! Here, take the keys to the apartment..." he said, rushing back into the room to find the keys. 

"What for?" Antonio asked, as Sonny grabbed them out of hte depths of their overnight bag. 

Sonny handed them over to his father-in-law," So you guys have a place to crash?" he shrugged. "We probably won't be home for another day or two, so someone needs to feed Harry and Leia.." 

Taking the keys, Noelle put them in her purse. "Call us if anything happens," she said, kissing him on both cheeks. 

Accepting hugs and kisses, Sonny watched as the Palladino/Carisi squad made their way down the hall and out of sight. Sighing, Sonny stepped back into the room and closed the door. In the plastic cart, Carina was in the middle of dozing off, as Sonny carefully picked her up. 

"Hey, shhhh," Sonny soothed, as Carina began to fuss. "It's only me, Carina. It's Daddy." 

Settling down in the recliner, Sonny cradled Carina in his arms and lightly patted her diaper clad bottom. "Hi, baby," he whispered, as she gurgled and cooed. "You're one gorgeous lil' girl, you know that? I don't know what Grandma was talkin' about, but you look exactly like Mommy. Who is also very gorgeous herself." 

He stole a quick glance towards Isabella, who was now snoring deeply; her lips twitching with each breath. He chuckled and shook his head, turning to look back down at Carina. 

"We should get some rest," he whispered, fixing the blanket that Carina was swaddled in. "We're all gonna need it. Its' been a rough coupla hours for the three of us, since you finally decided to come out." 

Carina yawned widely, as her eyelids began to droop. Leaning down, Sonny pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, before resting his head back against the seat. As Carina drifted off to sleep, Sonny couldn't stop staring at her; taking in every detail of this tiny human that he took part in creating. 

She was finally here and while it was scary, the responsibility of caring for a tiny baby, it was also exciting. And in that hospital room, as the world went on outside, Sonny was happy to spend that moment watching as both his wife and daughter slept soundly. 


	37. fuzzy face

"Mommy?" 

Isabella looked up from her laptop, "Yes, buggy?" she asked, before turning her attention back to the documents she was trying to load. 

Carina rested her elbows on her workbook, "Why does Daddy have a fuzzy face?" she asked, tapping her princess pencil against the pages. 

"Fuzzy face?" 

"Yeah!" Carina nodded, as Isabella turned her attention to her daughter. "He's got a fuzzy face! Zia Liv says he has to shave his face! She was there today, when Daddy picked me and Lina up from school!" 

Her mother couldn't help but giggle, thinking of the mustache that Sonny was suddenly sporting; forgoing his usual shave, which took place every two days, Sonny decided to let nature take it's course. It resulted in what Amanda called a "porn-stach" and non stop teasing from their friends. 

Isabella was no stranger to her husbands facial hair, as he grew mustaches and beards throughout their relationship. A full beard during the last three paternity leaves, scruff during his vacations and long weekends with her and the girls. The mustache that made rare appearances, every few months. 

"Well," Isabella sighed, moving her laptop to the side. "Sometimes, Daddy grows hair on his face. Just like Zio Fin and Zio Rafael. Grandpa, Nonno and Zio Joey. Boys grow hair on their faces and wear it in different styles.." 

"Can I grow a beard?" The five year old asked, cocking her head to the side. 

"Well.. not like Daddy's," her mother shrugged. "You have some hair on your face though, which is normal." 

Carina frowned, "Huh..." was all she could say, before turning her attention back to her homework. 

Isabella blinked, "Do.. do you think Daddy should shave his fuzzy face?" she asked. 

"No," Carina shook her head. "He looks silly and it tickles when he kisses my face!" 

"Alright, so we'll have to make sure Daddy doesn't shave," Isabella nodded, glancing at the clock on the stove. "Finish up your homework, Carina. I still have to get you and Lina into the bath." 

......................

Isabella watched as Sonny tucked Siena into her crib, turning the sound machine on. Pulling the blanket up to cover the infant, Sonny turned and made his way towards the door, smirking at her. 

"What are you doin'?" he whispered, placing his hands on her hips. "I figured you'd be downstairs, crackin' that bottle of wine open." 

"Nah, I'm saving that for a night, when it's just the two of us," she said, smoothing her hands down the front of his shirt. "Carina's waiting for you in her room, insisting on having  _you_ tuck her in. Lina's already asleep, so keep it down in there." 

Sonny nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead, before moving across the hall to the other bedroom. Closing Siena's door halfway, Isabella went back downstairs to finish cleaning up the kitchen and living room. Tossing the scatter toys into the toy bin, Isabella checked the windows and pulled the curtains closed. 

"Alright, all asleep," Sonny announced, as he made his way downstairs. "Just you and me, baby!" 

"Wow, you have enough energy to hang out with lil' old me?" Isabella teased, as he checked the front door. "After a long day at work and wrangling three children to bed?" 

Sonny nodded, slipping his arms around her waist. "I always have time for my best girl," he said, nuzzling her neck with his nose; his mustache tickling her skin. 

Isabella squirmed and giggled, which made Sonny chuckle. "What's wrong?" he asked, as she rubbed her neck lightly. 

"That mustache.." she started, giggling again. "It tickles." 

"Oh yeah?" he asked, wagging his eyebrows. "Wanna see where else I can tickle ya?" 

She snorted, "C'mon," Sonny said, walking her backwards towards the couch. 

"What, here?" Isabella gasped, as he lightly pushed her down on the sofa. "What if one of the girls wake up and come down here?" 

Sonny reached for the quilt, placed on the back of the couch, and dropped it next to her. "Why do you think I keep this thing here?" he asked, his hands dipping under the waistband of her pants. "Not because it matches anythin' in this room..." 

She gasped, smacking his arm lightly, as he pulled her pants down; tossing the garment over his shoulder. "You sneaky little boy," she teased, as he hovered over her. "Good thinking." 

"I aim to please," he joked, leaning down to kiss her; his hands moving from her waist, down past her hips, before settling along her thighs. "Ready?" 

"Get to it," Isabella said, smirking at him. 

.............

Later, after fooling around on the couch, the couple grabbed their discarded clothes and went upstairs to their bedroom. Changing into their pajamas, they crawled under the blankets, curling up around each other. 

"So, Carina asked me about your face," she started, yawning into her hand. 

"Oh yeah?" 

She nodded, "Wanted to know why you had a "fuzzy face" and said that she doesn't want you to shave it," she sighed. "Says you look silly. And that your kisses tickle her face.." 

Sonny hummed, "Hmm, not sure if I like that," he admitted. "I mean.. I tickled you in many places tonight..." 

"She just thinks your handsome, baby," Isabella said, snuggling closer to him. "She had to draw a picture for homework and drew one of us. And wrote that you're the most "handsomest Daddy in the world," and gave you a blue mustache." 

"You know... I did see a blue hair dye at the store last night," he admitted. "When I ran out to get more diapers for Sienna. Ice blue." 

Isabella snorted, "So  _sexy,"_ she purred, running her hand up and down his chest. "Maybe I'll get a box and dye the carpet. We can match..." 

"Don't you dare," Sonny said, tickling her lightly; his fingers dancing along her ribcage. "I prefer to have the carpet matchin' the drapes..." 

"Pig." 

Sonny chuckled, "Yeah, but I'm  _your_ pig," he reminded her, running his hand down the back of her head. "Besides, I'm not  _always_ a pig." 

She sighed as Sonny captured her lips with his, his mustache tickling her nose. "So I can keep the mustache?" he asked, as she placed a kiss along his chin. 

"For now," Isabella said. "The moment it starts to resemble a handlebar mustache, you're shaving it off." 

"How about a beard?" he continued. "Then I would really have a fuzzy face." 

Isabella shook her head, "Sienna would freak out," she yawned. "She's still wary with the mustache. Grow a full beard and she'll never want to be around you." 

"Yeah, you're right," Sonny sighed. "But, if memory serves me right, I also remember how much you liked the beard..." 

He yelped when a knee connected to his groin, "Ouch," he whimpered, reaching down under the blankets to hold himself. "You didn't have to do that, Iz. God, you're worse than Carina and Lina and that's four kneecaps combined!" 

"Keep it up and I'll wax that caterpillar right off your face," Isabella warned. "Then you'll really look silly." 

..............

"Ouch! Carina!" Sonny cried, as the five year old giggled with glee. "Why are you pullin' on my face?" 

Carina wrapped her arms around his neck, hanging from him like a monkey. "Cuz, I wanna put a braid on your fuzzy face!" she squealed, as he tickled her. "Mommy says my butterfly clips are for everyone, Daddy. And that means you too!" 

He sighed, cursing his wife for her proactive stance on sharing. "Yes, but you can't put them on my face, Rina," he said, as her little fingers pulled at the short hairs above his lip. "I know you think I look silly, but you can't just grab people's faces like that. You could hurt someone.." 

"I'm sorry, Daddy!" Carina pouted, as he cuddled her to his chest. "I don't wants to hurt you!" 

"I know you don't and it only hurt for like... a split second,' Sonny shrugged. "But, how about you get ya butterfly clips anyways? I haven't been to your lil' salon in a long while. I could use a lil pick me up." 

She squealed, jumping off his lap, rushing towards the little play vanity table across from her bed. "Can we do your nails too, Daddy?" she asked, grabbing the little box of assorted hair clips and headbands. "Mommy and Grandma gots me new nail paints!" 

He sighed, "If you must," he said, watching as she grabbed anything she could get her little hands on. "How about you paint mine and I'll paint yours? " 

"Kay!" Carina nodded, coming back over to the beanbag chair; the box of hair accessories, her princess brush and a tiny bag of nail polish, spilled from her arms and onto the floor between them. "Can you braids my hair after I do yours?" 

"Of course I can,  _topolina,"_ Sonny chuckled, kissing her cheek. "Alright, before Mommy comes in and makes me do chores!" 

 


	38. little mermaids and cranky sea monsters

When the girls were old enough, Sonny had them dressed and ready for the pool, teaching them how to swim. Carina picked up on it right away, when she was a year and a half old. Lina was a full fledged swimmer by the age of two, once she was able to swim freely, without holding onto Mommy and Daddy. Siena, being only eight months old, enjoyed floating around in her swim tube or sitting in the little plastic pool Noelle bought for her. A big fan of the summer, Sonny wanted his children to be ready for the long weekends, lazing about in the pool. The weekend trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house, or going away upstate and swimming in hotel pools. 

It was the first nice weekend of the summer, a week after the Fourth of July, when they were finally in a pool. Noelle and Antonio had the pool open and cleaned out, ready to be used by two of their granddaughters and their son-in-law. 

"Daddy! I swim!" Evelina shouted, as she kicked her feet furiously. "Swim!" 

"Good job, Lina!" Sonny called out, as Carina swam about, her arms free from plastic floats. "Carina, easy! We talked about you splashin' your sister!" 

On the patio, the grill sizzled as the food cooked, which Antonio manned. The sliding door opened and closed, as Noelle carried out various plates and bottles, before heading back into the air conditioned house. The youngest member of the Carisi clan was snuggled up inside, along with Isabella. Siena had been fussy throughout the night before and during the car ride, before Isabella took her upstairs to get her down for a nap. 

" _She's teething. And it doesn't help that she had that bad diaper rash, along with the diarrhea,"_ she said, as Sonny got Carina and Evelina into their bathing suits. " _We've got the rest of the summer to get her in the pool, Sonny. I rather she not shit in the pool, because I'll never hear the end of it from Maman."_

So with little Siena sitting out from a day in the pool, Sonny took the elder girls out for a swim. Seeing how his hard work paid off, with Carina swimming like a fish and Evelina almost there, made him proud. Living in Queens, Sonny wasn't a fan of community pools or swimming at the beach. And to spend hundreds of dollars for swim lessons, in a heavily chlorinated pool at a gym, was quickly shot down by the detective. 

 _"I'll teach Carina how to swim,"_ Sonny said, when Isabella showed him the flier for swim classes. " _All of my kids are gonna learn from me. Not from some...synchronized water ballerina, in a pool that's been pissed in by complete strangers."_

Isabella gave him a one day, before he would lose his patience and cave in. But she was surprised at how dedicated he became, when they alternated their weekends between Long Island and Staten Island. How he spent hours in the pool with Carina, and eventually Evelina, showing them how to paddle and swim underwater. By the time she was a year and a half old, Carina and Sonny swam side by side like two fish in the sea. Evelina, though hesitant to swim freely without holding his or her hands, eventually found her independence while swimming. They'd only hope to say the same for Siena, when it would be her turn to learn how to swim. 

"Sonny! You might want to wrap it up for now!" Antonio called out. "Food's just about done!" 

"Alright!" Sonny yelled back, before turning his attention to the girls. "Let's go eat, girls. Grandpa's got the hot doggies ready!" 

Carina squealed, swimming quickly for the ladder, which Sonny helped her up on. "Go get ya towel," he said. "Have Grandma help ya!" 

He then turned to Lina, who was swimming on the opposite side of the pool, towards the deep end. "Lina!" he called out, waving his hand. "Let's go! Time to eat!" 

"NO!" 

"Evelina Marie! It's time to get out!" Sonny said, a bit firmer this time. "Let's go!" 

Lina stopped swimming and turned to look at him, her little face twisted with a scowl. "NO!" she shouted again, smacking her hands against the surface of the water. "NO INSIDE!" 

Quickly, Sonny was across the pool before she could react, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I said it's time to get out," he said, as she started to flail about. 

"NO! NO! NO!" Evelina screeched, as he carried her out of the pool and over to the table. "NO DADDY!" 

Grabbing the towel off the table, Sonny wrapped it around her. The screen door opened as Noelle stepped outside, "What's all this screaming for?" she asked, as Evelina threw her towel to the ground. "Evelina!" 

The two and a half year old continued to screech and cry, while Sonny dried himself off with a towel. "That's alright, Frenchie," he shrugged. "She just won't go in the pool after dinner, is all." 

"NOOOOOOOOO!" 

Taking her by the hand, Sonny half walked/half dragged her into the house, where she threw herself onto the kitchen floor. 

"Evelina, no more!" Noelle said, as the toddler kicked and screamed. " _Mon Dieu,_ what has gotten into her? This is not  _mon petit agneau!"_

"The terrible twos, as Iz calls it," Sonny shrugged. "We just ignore her, Frenchie. We let her have her moment and once she sees that neither of us are payin' her any attention, she stops." 

Noelle looked horrified at the thought, "We just let her scream and cry at home," he said. "If we keep tellin' her to "stop" or say "enough Lina, you can't do this!" she'll keep goin'." 

"You let her act like this in public?" 

Sonny shook his head, "Nah, if she acts like this in public, we leave," he said. "That's why we started bringin' stuff to keep her occupied in the store. Iz brings her tablet so she can play games, or we bring a doll for her to play with.." 

Noelle shook her head, her eyes settled on the hysterical child lying on her kitchen floor. "Sonny, I don't want her screaming and crying in my kitchen," she said, shaking her head. "You get her up and get her into dry clothes." 

"What is going on down here?" Isabella said, as she made her way into the kitchen. "Evelina Marie! Why are you screaming and crying?" 

"Didn't want to get out of the pool," Sonny said, as she went to the little girl. "So, she's done for the day." 

Isabella shook her head, "Enough, Lina," she said, as the toddler kicked her feet against the floor. 

"I cannot believe you let her go on like this," Noelle shook her head, as Isabella stood the girl up. 

"Mom, we can't put too much attention on it, every single time she has an outburst," Isabella said, shaking the towel out. "If Sonny and I kept giving into her tantrums, she would think that it was acceptable to act like this." 

Sonny nodded, "It's really not that big of a deal," he said. "Like I said, she stops after a few minutes and moves on. Or sometimes, she'll fall asleep and when she wakes up, she hardly remembers what she was cryin' about." 

Shaking her head, Noelle made her way out of the kitchen, leaving the couple with their daughter. "She's more old school," Isabella shrugged, as Evelina yanked the towel from her. "Evelina!" 

"I lay here," the little girl said, diving down onto the floor with her towel. "I lay here." 

"You're gonn lay on the floor?" Sonny asked, as she hiccuped. "What about lunch? You can't eat on the floor, Lina." 

At that moment, Cosette slinked into the kitchen, making her way towards Evelina. Sniffing her wet hair, the cat meowed and plopped down next to her, licking her paw. 

"I lay here," Evelina repeated. "Cosey lay here." 

Isabella sighed, "Let her calm herself down," she shrugged. "I need to see what Carina's up to, before I check on Sienna." 

Sonny nodded, "I'll get Sienna, you get Carina," he said. "The slidin' door is locked, so she can't get out." 

"I hope you know that you're going to be the one, sitting up with her tonight," Isabella warned. "You gave out the punishment, so you get to deal with the tantrum." 

...........

Dinner came and went, along with another dip in the pool, before storm clouds rolled in. Evelina, who fell asleep on the kitchen floor, woke as the first crack of thunder sounded, extremely cranky.Feeding her, Sonny went in for a quick shower, before giving Carina her bath. 

"Daddy, Lina was like the sea witch!" she giggled, as she scooped handfuls of bubbles up. 

"That's not nice," Sonny tsk'd, as he rinsed her hair clear of shampoo. "We don't call each other names, Carina." 

She giggled, "But I'm a mermaid," she continued, grabbing one of her bath toys. "Right Daddy? I swim the fastest now that I don't have my swimmie balloons!" 

He chuckled, "That you do," he agreed. "You're all my lil mermaids, sweetheart. You, Lina and even Siena. Mommy's my mermaid too, ya know. Before we had you guys, Mommy and I used to come here every weekend and swim in the pool." 

"Why can't Mommy swim now?" 

"Well, she can," Sonny nodded. "But, she likes to swim with you guys. And she likes to make sure you guys are safe in the pool, and she can't do that if she's always underwater.." 

Carina nodded, "Mommy can swims with us tomorrow," she concluded. "Cases closed, Daddy." 

He laughed and nodded "Cases closed, Carina," he agreed. "Let's finish up in here, so we can get you guys down for bed. It's been a long day and tomorrow's another day." 

............

"Carina's snoring," Isabella said, as she stepped out of the guest room. "I fed Siena, so she should be fine until at least a quarter to six..." 

Sonny nodded, as he followed Evelina down the hallway. "Tryin' to tire this one out," he sighed. "She's not havin' it though." 

After a disastrous bath time session, Isabella managed to get the toddler into a diaper and a shirt, before letting her loose in the house. Despite being out in the sun for most of the day, there was no stopping Evelina Marie Carisi. Everyone was pretty much done with her tantrums, including the cat, who disappeared into Joey's bedroom.

"God, I hope she grows out of this," Isabella shook her head. "She was such a sweet baby, Sonny. What happened to her?" 

"Terrible twos as you put it," he reminded her, as Carina toddled about. "Though, I feel like she's inherited your Mother's attitude." 

Isabella shot him a dirty look, shaking her head. "You better hope she never hears you say that," she warned, as Sonny redirected Evelina away from the guest room. "She would kill you." 

He rolled his eyes, as Evelina dashed into the bathroom, only to trip on the rug. "Shit!" he yelped, rushing in after her. "Lina!" 

"Daddddyyy!!!" she cried, as the tears and sobbing began. "Daddy, I owie!" 

"What happened?" Isabella asked, as she rushed into the bathroom. 

Sonny had her up and in his arms, soothing her with a kiss to the forehead. "Shhh,it's okay!" he said, a she sobbed. "She tripped on the carpet and fell." 

Moving around him, Isabella brushed the toddler's hair back, checking for any visible bumps or blood. "She fell on her knees," Sonny informed her. "Her hands too, since she used them to break the fall." 

"Okay, it's time for bed now," Isabella shook her head. 

"I go sweeps," Evelina said, giving in. "I go sweeps, Daddy." 

Carrying her out of the bathroom, they made their way into the guest room, where Carina snored from the depths of fluffy blankets. Checking to make sure her diaper was dry, Sonny laid her down in bed next to her sister. 

"Hold Miss Squishy," he said, handing over the stuffed pink octopus. "Now, if you're a good girl tomorrow, ya get to swim in the pool." 

"Oh tay," Evelina said, around a mouthful of thumb. 

Sighing, Sonny leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I love you, ya lil' sea monster." 

"Lub yew," the toddler mumbled, as her eyes drooped; the long day of sun, swim and tantrums, taking her down. 

Tucking the girls in, Sonny and Isabella made their way out of the bedroom closing the door halfway. 

"Little sea monster?" 

"Yeah," Sonny shrugged, as they started for her old bedroom. "While she can be one of my lil mermaids, sometimes she turns into a lil' sea monster." 

She snorted, "You're so weird, Sonny," she mused, shaking her head. "And, you've been watching _The Little Mermaid_ way too much!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mon petit agneau- my little lamb.


	39. meeting the family part deux

"Relax, Iz," Sonny said, as they stood on the front steps of her childhood home. "Parents  _love_ me. Even Grandmas..." 

She sighed deeply, turning to look up at him. "Just.. don't get offended if she makes a rude comment," she nearly begged. "She sometimes forgets that this isn't Paris. And that she lives in suburbia and not the city..." 

He chuckled, "I'll still want to be with you, even if ya Mom hates me," he shrugged. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Iz." 

The front door opened then, the fall themed wreath swinging in the process, as Noelle Palladino stood on the other side of the glass. 

"I was wondering when you'd get here," she said, as she held the door open for them to come inside. "You're late!" 

"Well, we had to pick up the car, Maman," Isabella said, as she handed over the shopping tote. "And pick up the wine, since I forgot it last night." 

Taking her jacket off, Isabella took Sonny's and placed them on the coat rack near the front door. Making her way back to Sonny's side, Isabella took his hand into hers and gave him a small smile; mostly to reassure herself, rather than him.  

"Maman," she started, turning to look at Noelle. "This is Sonny. My boyfriend..." 

"Hello," Sonny said, smiling politely at her. "It's so nice to finally meet ya, Mrs. Palladino!"

Noelle gave him a quick and guarded smile, "I wish I could say the same, Sonny," she said. "My daughter is very mysterious and neglected to tell us about... you. I only found out about you, three days ago. Not enough time to prepare for a Friday night dinner..." 

Isabella sighed, "Maman..." 

"No, no," Noelle said, shaking her head. "It's done and over with, Isabella. Now, bring Sonny in to meet your Father and your Grandmother. They've been waiting for you." 

Turning on her heel, Noelle made her way down the hall and into the spacious kitchen, leaving the couple to stand in the front entrance of the house. 

"Wanna run for it?" Isabella asked, looking up at Sonny. "We could drive out east. Or maybe down to Robert Moses and see the lighthouse." 

"Nah, I wanna meet your family," Sonny said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Iz, it's fine. I'm a big boy and I can handle a little cold shoulder here and there. Give me five minutes and I'll have Ma swoonin' with my charm." 

She snorted, "Don't be so sure," she warned, as they started for the kitchen. "It took my Dad three months of begging and showering her with gifts, before she agreed to marry him and come over to the United States with him." 

.............

Antonio was easily pleased with his daughter's choice in a boyfriend, as was Rosemarie; his eighty-three year old mother. She practically swooned and tossed her cane to the side, when Sonny greeted her in Italian. 

"I have family from all over," he said, when Antonio asked. "My Pop has family from Sicily and Naples, while my Ma's family is from the North. Florence and all over up there. I take after my Ma's side, being fair skinned. My sisters though? They're all over the place!" 

While Sonny, Antonio and Rosemarie all spoke together in Italian, about food, culture and everything else, Isabella and Noelle went into the kitchen to check on dinner. 

"He's a real Italian man, huh?" Noelle asked, as she checked the pot of sauce that Antonio put together earlier that day. "I guess they  _all_ wear a pound of hair gel, no matter what the age is. 

"Yes, he is. " Isabella nodded. "And he doesn't always wear his hair like that, Maman." 

Noelle put the lid back on the pot and lowered the heat on the burner, "And how long have you two been together?" 

"Six months," Isabella shrugged, wincing at the glare she shot her. "Maman..." 

"Six months and you're only bringing him over here NOW?" she asked, shaking her head. "Isabella!" 

The younger woman sighed, "Maman, I only met his parents last month," she admitted. "We've been taking things really slow.." 

Noelle sighed, dropping packages onto the counter, "I wish you would be more open about things," she murmured. "You never want to tell us anything." 

"That's because you ask too many questions," Isabella pointed out. 

"It's my job as a Mother, Isabella," she said. "Now, if you want me to be nice to your boyfriend, you better come over here and help me with this salad. If I don't get dinner on the table by six, your Grandmother will have another thing to complain about." 

.............

At the dinner table, the food and wine flowed freely, as did the conversation. The retelling of how they met and meeting Sonny's family, was discussed. Then came the questions, with Noelle had no problem shooting off. 

"So, Sonny," she started, picking up her wine glass. "What do you do for work?" 

Isabella glanced at her boyfriend, waiting to see the first signs of discomfort, only to see him smile gently at her. "I'm a detective at Special Victims in Manhattan," he said.

"NYPD?" Antonio asked, clearly impressed. 

Sonny nodded, "I was a patrol cop, then did homicide, before transferring into Manhattan," Sonny continued. "Worked in all the boroughs.." 

"So, you work with special needs?" Noelle asked. 

"No, Ma'am," Sonny said, shaking his head. "Special Victims is a specialized division within the NYPD, which investigates sex crimes, as well as non-sex crimes." 

Antonio and Noelle looked at each other, silenced by the confession. "You.. you know..about.."Antonio started, glancing at Isabella. 

"He knows," Isabella nodded, confirming their thoughts. "I told him about what happened to me.." 

"And this doesn't bother you?" Noelle asked, turning her attention back to Sonny. 

Sonny shook his head, "No, it doesn't," he said. "I don't look at her any differently, Mrs. Palladino. Bein' raped doesn't make her any less perfect in my eyes."

Seeing the look in her daughter's eyes, as she gazed lovingly at Sonny, began to melt the ice around Noelle's heart. And the way he smiled at her, as if she were the only woman in the entire world, was remarkable. 

"This is a big deal, you know," Antonio said. "This is the first time, in her entire life, that a boy has come over to "meet the parents,". I think the last boy that came over, was when she was fourteen and that was for a science fair project." 

"My parents said the same thing," Sonny chuckled. "I've never brought anyone to meet them. Iz is the first girl I brought home, one that my sisters never met before." 

The older man snorted, "Really? A good lookin' guy like you?" he asked in disbelief. 

Sonny chuckled as well and nodded, "I was a complete nerd back in the day," he said, shrugging. "All scrawny and awkward. Why Iz is even with me is beyond me, since I'm just limbs and a Staten Island accent..." 

"Well, you're a great cook," Isabella teased. "I don't have to worry about cooking for myself, after a long day of work, because you're always cooking at my place." 

"God, she must cost you a small fortune," Antonio teased. 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "It's worth it," Sonny said, smiling at his girlfriend. "She's worth it." 

Rosemarie, coming out of her light doze, startled awake. She then turned her eyes to Sonny and smiled, a faint blush rising in her cheeks. Muttering a few words in Italian, which made Sonny blush and Antonio stutter, Noelle stood and started collecting the dishes. 

"Ya like Scotch, Sonny?" Antonio asked, as he stood up from the table. 

"It's not so bad," Sonny shrugged. "I have a friend who is a scotch expertise." 

Isabella stood from her seat, as did Sonny. "Be careful," she whispered to him, as her Father headed for the den. "Do not get trashed." 

"I won't," he chuckled, leaning down to give her a quick kiss. "Nonna thinks I'm super cute." 

"Well, you are," she giggled, kissing him again. "Better not let me find you with her in a dark corner, Sonny. Otherwise, you're walking home." 

........

Sonny stepped into the kitchen, an empty glass in hand, only to find Noelle at the sink. 

"Oh," he stopped, as she turned to look at him. "Sorry. I couldn't find Iz." 

"She took Rosemarie upstairs to bed," Noelle informed him, before turning back to the dishes. 

Making his way into the kitchen, Sonny stood next to her and rolled up the sleeves to his shirt. "Lemme help ya," he said, picking up the dish towel. 

Eyeing him closely, Noelle nodded and rinsed off the dish, before handing it over to him. "I hope you know, that I am not thrilled that this was kept in the dark," she started, scrubbing another plate. "Six months and a surprise phone call, informing us that we're meeting a boy..." 

"I know and I understand," Sonny nodded. "But, I let Iz take the reigns here. I don't want her to feel overwhelmed by everythin' and anythin', so it was her that wanted to meet my parents. And when she asked me if I wanted to meet you guys, while I was ready to, I told her I would if only she were sure." 

"Look," Noelle started, dropping the plate in the soapy water. "My daughter cannot afford anymore heartache. If you're just dating her to get a good time, I suggest you leave her alone.." 

Sonny placed the towel over his shoulder, turning his body to face her, his arms folded across his chest. "Will all due respect, Mrs. Palladino," he started. "I'm not datin' your daughter, just to have sex with her. We're in love and she's my best friend. And if God wills it, I hope to marry her one day." 

It was safe to say that Noelle was blown away by that confession, especially at the mention of marriage. It had been almost ten years of wondering if Isabella would ever marry, let alone date. And here came the possibility of it all, standing in the form of a six foot- one Italian, NYPD detective, hailing from Staten Island. 

"I hope you know that if you hurt her, in anyway, I will destroy your life," Noelle warned. 

And at that, Sonny grinned. "Iz might beat ya to it," he warned, watching as the woman scoffed. "Ah, don't worry Frenchie. I have no intention to ever hurt your daughter. I'd rather die, than see her upset by somethin' caused by myself." 

"Where the hell's Joey?" they heard, as Isabella and Antonio came into the kitchen. "He couldn't come down from Cortland this weekend?" 

"Ah, he's havin' fun up there," Antonio shrugged, as they turned to look at Sonny and Noelle. 

Isabella frowned, "What did you do, Maman?" she asked. 

Noelle scoffed, "Why does it always have to be me, that does something?" she asked, as her daughter made her way over to Sonny. 

"Because you can't help yourself," her husband teased, as he started the coffee machine. 

"Don't you start," Noelle warned, flicking soap suds at him. 

Isabella shook her head, taking Sonny by the hand. "Wanna tour the house?" she asked, as her parents bickered playfully. 

He nodded, "Before she stabs me or somethin'," he whispered, setting the dish towel down on the counter. "I think she might actually like me, Iz. Deep down, under all that French attitude.." 

............

Over coffee and Rosemarie's homemade cannolis, they talked more about Sonny's career and what the couple's plans were for the rest of the weekend. Learning that Sonny was taking night classes at Fordham for law, was enough for Antonio to approve of him. 

"My god, Iz," he said, staring at the man with wide eyes. "Where did you find this guy, huh? A detective and studyin' to be a lawyer?" 

"I'm a long way away from bein' a lawyer," Sonny chuckled, as Isabella smiled at him. "I've got mid-terms comin' up, so I'm studyin' tomorrow and Sunday.." 

Isabella nodded, "I'll be cooking and making sure he takes breaks," she sighed, shaking her head. "We went food shopping last night for today and the weekend..." 

"Are you living together?" Noelle asked. 

Sonny, mid-sip of his coffee, shook his head. Setting the mug down, he sat back in the chair. "Nah, we don't live together," he said. "Sometimes Iz spends time at my place, or I'll go to hers after work. Or on the weekends." 

"Mostly, we're always at my place, since it's closer to the precinct," Isabella nodded. "Plus, Sonny barely has a stocked kitchen, since he works all these weird hours..." 

"I honestly don't know where I'd be, if Iz wasn't there to make sure I ate more than take out and stale coffee," he admitted. "I try to cook on Sundays, just to get my through the week..." 

Isabella giggled, "I've yet to make anything French," she admitted. "Sonny's been teaching me various Italian dishes, which I've yet to master. But usually I just sit back and watch him cook." 

They talked a while more, before Isabella looked down at Sonny's watch. "We should probably get going," she said, seeing that it was nearly eight. "It's gonna be a pain in the ass getting back into Manhattan and we've gotta drop the car off..." 

"Next time, take the train out," Antonio said. "I don't mind pickin' ya's up from the train station.." 

They went about, getting their things together, while Noelle packed up a few extras for Isabella to take home. "Please don't make me wait another six months, just to get you out here for a visit," she begged. 

She then looked at Sonny, "And I suppose Sonny could come by too," she said with a shrug. "If he's not busy that is." 

"If Nonna's makin' her homemade cannoli's, I'll be here," Sonny teased, as he helped Isabella into her jacket. "Do you need to use the bathroom, Iz?" 

"Not really, but I'll go," Isabella said, making her way out of the living room. "Don't leave without me, Sonny." 

Antonio chuckled, as they waited by the door. "Next time, we'll crack out the childhood photos," he promised. "Look, I know my wife comes off a bit harsh, but...she's just bustin' ya chops." 

Sonny nodded, "I understand, Sir," he said. "Given what happened to Iz, I don't blame her for being wary of me." 

"Well, I think it's great, seein' my little girl so happy," the older man shrugged. "I mean, I'll be sure to give you the whole "if you hurt her, I'll hurt you," speech in the future, but for now? It's just a relief to see her so happy. And I have to thank you for that." 

"She's amazin'," Sonny said, blushing a bit. "I love your daughter very much. She means a lot to me.." 

They could hear Isabella being accosted in the hallway by Noelle, "No, Maman! I don't want any anti-aging creams! I'm not even thirty yet!" 

Frazzled, Isabella reappeared before them, giving her Father a look. "Please control her," she begged, giving him a hug and kiss goodbye. "Bye, Daddy. I'll call you tomorrow." 

"Be good," Antonio warned, as he gave Sonny a one armed hug, clapping him on the back. "And please, come visit us soon. The both of ya's. I'll cook and you'll finally meet Joey." 

"Sounds good," Sonny nodded, taking the keys out of Isabella's hand. "Stop. You drove out here, so I'm drivin' back. Besides, you're ready for a nap." 

She scowled, before turning to give Noelle a hug. "Call me," Noelle warned, kissing both her cheeks. "I mean it. Or I'll show up at your apartment, unannounced." 

Following the couple outside, Antonio and Noelle stood on the front steps, as Sonny and Isabella made their way down to the car. 

"Hmm, I'm not sure about him," Noelle said. 

"What's not to be sure about?" her husband asked, looking down at her. "He's _perfect_ for her, No!"

They watched as Sonny helped Isabella into the car, before closing the door. "He's just perfect because he's Italian," she snorted." 

He sighed, "He's a detective  _and_ he's studyin' to become a lawyer," he reminded her. "And, he loves our daughter. And can you even remember a time that she was this happy? After what happened to her, that is?" 

When Noelle couldn't give an answer, her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. "Give him a chance," he urged, as Sonny honked as they pulled away from the curb. 

................

Nearly two years later, as Noelle Palladino watched the newly christened Mr and Mrs. Dominick Carisi walk out of the church, she knew that taking her husband's advice was the best thing she'd ever done. 

Seeing her daughter, looking radiant and happy on the arm of her new husband, was enough for her. 

"I told ya," Antonio remarked, as the guests began to make their way out of the church. "Now, he's your son-in-law. The father of our future grandchildren." 

"Well, hopefully they won't inherit that accent," Noelle mumbled, as Antonio wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "He butcher's the language from my country, Tony. It would kill me if my grandbabies butchered it too.." 

Antonio snorted, "You're ridiculous, No," he said, shaking his head. "C'mon. We've got weddin' photos to take, before we head out to the reception." 

As the bride and groom came out of hiding, meeting up with their bridal party, Noelle couldn't help but smile; her daughter, in the arms of the man who promised to cherish and love her forever, was laughing and smiling widely at him. 

"We're Married! We're Married!" she squealed, as Sonny laughed with her. 

Noelle watched, as the couple kissed again, locked in a loving embrace. When they pulled apart, they were still smiling like deranged fools. 

But for Noelle, it was all the evidence she needed. 

Isabella was happy. 

And for Noelle, it was the best thing she could ever ask for. 

 


	40. safaris and blue space cats.

"I don't think we're gonna be here long," Isabella noted, as they pushed the stroller into the park. "The girls at work said this is a half-day park..." 

"Yeah, well, that's good for them," Sonny shrugged, looking down at the map of  _Animal Kingdom._ "Our kid is gonna have a blast today, seein' jungle cats and lil' monkey's. We'll eat some great food, see that Avatar world thing..." 

She sighed, as they walked through the oasis, which would take them to Discovery Island. Stopping once, Sonny took Carina out of the stroller, pointing out all the wild birds and turtles in the water. Taking a few minutes to reapply sunblock and check Carina's pull-up , Sonny went to get water for his ladies. It was another hot day in Orlando, pushing nearly ninety-seven degrees. And it was only a little after nine-thirty in the morning at that point.  

"You need to tell me if you start feelin' funny," he warned, as Isabella took a sip of the ice cold beverage. "You were out cold the moment ya head hit the pillow last night." 

"I promise," she said, smoothing her hand across her belly. "I feel great, Sonny. I'm getting my exercise in and we're not in any rush here." 

He sighed, "I know. I just worry," he said, as she set the bottle into the cup holder of their stroller. 

They took their time walking, taking in the sights around them; Isabella pushing the stroller , while Sonny took pictures. Switching off, Isabella took her time walking, while Sonny pushed Carina about, showing off wildlife around them. 

"We're gonna see so many cool animals, Carina!" he cooed, as the two year old giggled. "Then, we'll head over to dino-land and see all the cool stuff there!" 

"She'll be bored after the safari ride," Isabella mused, as he scoffed at her. "Thank god this is our third day here, Sonny. Get this park out of the way, before splitting our days between the other three..." 

They stopped to take pictures in front of the iconic Tree of Life, before moving around to see the otters, lemurs and other sights. The best highlight was in Africa, where they took a safari ride through the "savanna" seeing all kinds of animals; lions, giraffes, elephants and more. Carina squealed at the sights, while Sonny held her on his lap. 

"Kitty!" she giggled, seeing the lions lazing about on that hot summer day. "Kitty, meow!" 

Isabella, who was in charge of taking the pictures, reached out and gripped Sonny's knee. "They won't attack us, right?" she asked, as Carina continued to "meow" at the lions. 

"Nah, they're totally not interested in us," Sonny said. "They made it so that they can't come and get us. I googled it, when we were plannin' the trip together." 

"Good," Isabella nodded. "I mean, they're cool and all. But I don't want our family vacation to end in a tragedy. Or as lunch." 

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Sonny pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I wouldn't take ya both on a ride, if I didn't think it was safe," he said, as the truck moved down the dirt path. 

"Thank god for that, Mr. Mom," Isabella teased. "God help us if she starts asking for a giraffe to take home to keep as a pet!" 

................

Once the safari was over, much to Carina's dislike, they grabbed the stroller and explored. Stopping for a diaper change and bathroom break, they soothed a potential tantrum with a cookie, before heading out to explore. They met Pocahontas, Rafiki, Baloo and King Louie; along with a safari dressed Minnie, Mickey, Donald and Daisy. Carina was so excited and exhausted, passing out in the stroller as they trekked into Asia. 

"Let's stop and eat," Sonny suggested, looking down at his watch. "It's a quarter to three..." 

Opting to do quick service, instead of waiting for their food, they ordered at a restaurant in Dino-land. 

"Look, Carina," Sonny gasped, as the girl sat in the seat next to his. "Chicken nuggets!" 

"Nuggs, Daddy," she mumbled, shoving the breaded nugget into her mouth. 

He chuckled, as Isabella got them situated with the food. "Hungry baby is one happy baby," he mused. "And she gets a cool bucket and shovel with her food! I wish we could get lil' presents with our lunch..." 

"I'll buy you something pretty later," Isabella said, taking a bite out of her sandwich. "Eat, before she gets fussy and wants to run around.." 

"What should we do next?" Sonny asked, as he shared his fries with Carina. "We could do the kiddie rides here and then head over to Pandora..." 

She shrugged, "Whatever you want to do, Sonny," she said. "Maybe tonight we'll just stay at the hotel. We It's only Tuesday and we've got until Sunday to see everything."

Carina giggled, which earned the attention of both her parents, as she ate her food. "Pandora," Sonny nodded. "I wanna my lil' Carina to have her own lil' banshee baby." 

"God, you're such a nerd," Isabella shook her head. "That movie was  _so_ boring, Sonny. It's not even Cameron's best film..." 

"No, that's  _Terminator 2: Judgement Day,"_ he smirked, pleased at the scoff and scowl she gave him. "You only like the boat one, because it's a typical chick flick.." 

Isabella snorted, "Says the man who cried, when Rose jumped off the lifeboat and back into the sinking ship," she shot at him, smirking at the blush that filled his cheeks. "You even asked me if I would do the same, if we were ever in that situation. Made me promise not to jump off the lifeboat, because you didn't want me to get lost finding my way back to you." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Whatever," he muttered. "Can't ya just let me have my moment with Carina? I'm gettin' to experience all this stuff for the first time, and I get to show my daughter it. I mean, you get to share the princesses and cute stuff. Which is fine, because I like 'em too. But I want Carina to be exposed to all that other stuff, like _Star Wars_ and _Avatar_ and something that isn't a sing-along." 

"Sonny, I never said you couldn't do all that stuff," she frowned. "You can show Carina whatever you want. I'm just worried that you're the bigger nerd out of the two of us." 

"Oh, for the love of god," Sonny rolled his eyes, as she laughed. 

"I don't like being beaten in the nerd world," she shrugged, as he picked up his drink. "And I just don't get the appeal of this section of the park. Sure, everything was pretty. But it was a re-telling of Pocahontas, just with blue space cats..." 

Carina reached for Sonny, giggling as she was pulled onto his lap. "Well, you like cats," Sonny pointed out, as he wiped Carina's mouth with a napkin. "Win-win for everyone around!" 

.............

"She's got her banshee and her direhorse," Sonny chuckled, as Carina snoozed in the stroller with her two new toys. "Look how cute, Iz!" 

Isabella snorted, as they made their way around the world of Pandora; a ice cold drink in her hand, filled with the right amount of sugary goodness. 

"We're going to have such a hard time, bringing all this stuff home," she mused, taking a sip from her colorful drink. "She got so much yesterday at  _Epcot,_ you bought a bunch of stuff here and we still haven't hit all the  _Star Wars_ stuff in  _Hollywood Studios."_

"And we still have the strip of shops in  _Magic Kingdom_ to hit!" Sonny chuckled, as he took pictures of the park. "God, I fuckin' love this place. It's just like the movie, babe." 

Pulling the stroller aside, Isabella sat down on a vacated bench, pulling Carina closer to her. Taking a quick picture of the sun-kissed and exhausted toddler, she sent it to the family chat, along with the one she had with Liv, Amanda, Fin and Rafael. 

 _"God, that poor child is going to be a terror later,"_ Rafael sent, which made Isabella snort. " _I would sympathize, but you were the ones that wanted to take a toddler to Disney World."_

 _"She's so precious. We miss you guys!"_ Olivia's text read.

 _"Yo, she's got her own Direhorse? I'm seething in jealousy here,"_ Fin sent.  _"I hope you got something cool for Uncle Fin, Carina."_

From the family, there was outpour of " _Oh god, she's so goddamn adorable,"_ from Sonny's sister, to Noelle asking if they were applying enough sunblock. " _She's got her Father's skin! Sonny better be wearing enough sunscreen too!"_

Sonny made his way back over to them, looking at the pictures he took on his camera. "Babe, we're goin' to have so many pictures from this trip," he chuckled. "Walgreens is gonna hate us so much." 

"More like Facebook and Instagram," she remarked, setting her phone back in the diaper bag. "What do you want to do? We did the river boat ride. There's a night-show here we could stay for, if you want to do dinner beforehand..." 

"How about we head back to the hotel?" Sonny said, looking down at his watch. "It's almost six-thirty. We could shower, maybe order up a pizza and call it a night." 

She was surprised, "Yeah?" she asked, as he nodded. 

"Yeah," Sonny nodded. "If we want to spend all day in  _Hollywood,_ I want us to be well rested. Especially you, Iz. Doctor Brown was hellbent on makin' sure you get through this trip, without visitin' the a hospital here." 

"Yes, Sonny," Isabella nodded, too tired to argue with him. "Maybe you can rub my feet tonight?" 

He chuckled, "Yeah, I'll rub ya feet," he nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Five minute rest and we'll head outta here." 

Isabella rested her her against his shoulder, watching as the night-time lights started up, giving the world around them a bioluminescent feeling. "It's really beautiful here," she said softly.

"Yeah, it really is," Sonny sighed. 

They sat in silence, the sound of music, the tourists and Carina's little snores filling the air. The atmosphere so different from Manhattan, a little paradise away from the stresses of home. They both knew that it would be difficult to leave, taking the last flight out of Orlando on Sunday night. But for now, they were just happy to be away from work and their hyperactive family for seven days. 

Isabella sighed deeply, rocking the stroller with her foot, settling into her husband's embrace

 

 

"It's still overrated though," she said.


	41. thunderstorms

Isabella lived for thunderstorms; the rumble of thunder, the grey clouds and downpours. Rainy days, where she could stay in bed all day, especially on her days off. And if he was off for the day, or working an overnight, Sonny would be right in bed with her; the blankets pulled up and over his head. Extra sleep, lazy sex and just being  _together_ made those days the best. 

Of course, when Carina, Evelina and Siena were born, the bed became jammed packed with three little girls. The summer brought the occasional summer thunderstorm, turning the clear blue skies to grey, leaving puddles in the backyard and the lights flickering. The bang of thunder, so unexpected in the middle of the night, sent the girls running to Mommy and Daddy's bed. It was a simple routine, which on some occasions, they were ready for; tuning into the news before bed, seeing the thunderstorm warning flashing, as the weatherman showed the radar lit up with greens, yellows and reds. 

 _Oh boy ,_ Sonny would say, shaking his head.  _Neither of us are gettin' any sleep tonight!_

And, it was only worse if Sonny was at work, which happened most of the time these days. The big cases, along with the daily calls of new ones. Back and forth between the precinct, Rafael's office and court. And on a night in which Sonny would've been home early, he was stuck at work with an incoming call. And of course, a surprise thunderstorm hit the boroughs and Long Island, three and a half hours after Isabella hung up with her apologetic husband. 

"Where's Daddy?" Evelina cried, as Isabella tucked her in next to Carina. 

"Daddy's still at work," Isabella said, placing the pacifier into Siena's mouth. "He'll be home soon." 

It was a quarter to one in the morning, and Isabella had a feeling that Sonny wouldn't be home anytime soon. She knew the routine of incoming calls and heading to the scene of the crime, since it was a common experience in their household. The middle of the night calls, waking Sonny out of a deep slumber, just to stumble out of bed and back into his clothes from the day before.

Having put the girls through bath-time, Isabella read them a story and tucked them into their beds, before heading to bed herself. It was only nine-thirty, when Sonny called to let her know that he would be late that night; promising to be home as soon as possible, promising to oversee bath time and story time the following night. 

Everything was silent in the house, save for the hum of the refrigerator, the droning from the air conditioners and the sleepy snores of three little girls. Then came the first crack of thunder, shaking the house to its foundation. After that, came the cries and the wails, as the girls woke up from their slumber. Isabella was up, bleary eyed, stumbling down the hall to their bedrooms. 

"I want Daddy,' Carina sniffled, as Sienna began to doze off again. "I want Daddy, Mommy!" 

"He'll be home soon," Isabella repeated, as she laid down next to Sienna. "Just try to close your eyes and sleep, girls. Nothing's going to happen to you while I'm here." 

Lightning flashed behind the curtains, before another rumble of thunder sounded. Evelina whimpered, covering her little face with her hands. Carina clutched one of her many stuffed animals to her chest, while Siena grunted around the pacifier in her mouth. The one and a half year old wasn't really phased by the entire thunderstorm process, only crying when her sisters let out their banshee shrieks in the middle of every storm. Once Mommy or Daddy came to the rescue, she was a happy and quiet little girl. A little extra attention and sleeping in the big bed, instead of her crib, was the best prize ever. 

The rain began, pelting the windows and the roof, which meant that Sonny's commute would be brutal. Sending a quick text to him, Isabella waited until he replied. 

_Should be out of here in twenty minutes. It's pouring, so I'll probably be home closer to three, if I'm lucky._

_Just be safe, Sonny. If you need to wait it out, wait it out._

Turning the volume up on the ringer, Isabella set the phone down on the nightstand, and flipped the lamp off. Evelina and Carina whimpered, as the room plunged into total darkness. 

"Shhh," Isabella whispered, wrapping her arm around Sienna, as she laid back down. "Daddy's on his way home. Just close your eyes and when you wake up, Daddy'll be here with us." 

.........

Shaking off the rain, Sonny dropped his keys onto the hall table, before turning around to lock up. Toeing out of his wet shoes, he made his way upstairs quietly, poking his head into Evelina and Carina's room. Finding the beds empty, save for rumpled sheets and a cat here and there, Sonny made his way across the hall to Siena's room; her crib empty, save for Simba, stretched out along the mattress. 

Quietly, Sonny approached the master bedroom, pushing the door open slowly. Stepping into the room, he found four lumps under the blankets in their California king sized bed. Making his way around the bed, Sonny turned the beside lamp on and snorted. His wife and their three little girls, were all out cold and snoring, as the storm raged on outside. Stray dolls and sprawled out limbs, made their large bed seem smaller; the original reason why they upgraded from a queen size bed, after Sienna was born. 

Taking a quick hot shower, Sonny dressed for bed, tossing his clothes into the hamper. Locking up his gun in the closet, Sonny made his way over to the bed, setting his phone up to charge. Easing under the sheets, he readjusted Evelina, so that her arms and legs were in her own personal space, before laying down next to her. 

"Hmmm," Evelina whined, stirring against him. 

"Shhh," Sonny whispered, placing his hand on her back; easing her back to sleep, as she wiggled about. 

Seeing that she wasn't going to wake, Sonny rolled onto his belly and pulled the pillow further down, before sinking his face into it. Feeling the ice cold toes of Evelina, pressing against his bare side, Sonny groaned int the pillow. It was going to be a long night. 

................

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" 

Carina and Evelina bounced on the mattress, before jumping onto Sonny's back. 

"Girls, get off of Daddy!" Isabella scolded, as she came back to bed with Siena. "Now! Or else you're going back into your rooms!" 

As quickly as the two boulders landed on his back, they were off, settling onto either side of him. "But we wants to play with Daddy!" Carina whined, as a low rumble of thunder sounded off outside. 

"It's also _really_ early still and Daddy's sleeping," Isabella reminded her, as she tucked Sienna in. "It's Saturday. Let's sleep a little while longer and we'll get up to make breakfast." 

"Pancakes for Daddy," Evelina said, as she laid out next to him. "Bacons." 

Pulling the blankets up and over them, Isabella moved to lay back down next to Sienna. "We'll make all of that later," she promised, turning the lamp off again; the room plunging into darkness, despite being nearly seven in the morning.

They all dozed off, waking at various intervals of the morning, before Isabella was up at a quarter to eight with Carina. When Sonny woke, a half hour later, Siena curled up on her knees in her sleep with her diaper clad bottom up in the air. Simba and and Harry were curled up next to her, while Evelina snored into Sonny's neck; her entire weight tripling, as she lay sprawled out on top of him. Grumbling and groaning, Sonny shifted his head to look at the alarm clock on his nightstand, before relaxing against the pillows. It was early, but it was also a Saturday, which meant no work for the day. 

"You're awake," Isabella whispered, as she pushed the door open all the way. "I have breakfast on the table, if you're ready to eat.." 

"Yeah," he yawned, wrapping on arm loosely around Evelina. "Wanna help me here? She weighs more than a bag of tomatoes..." 

Giggling, Isabella made her way over to the bed, pulling Evelina off of his chest. "I'll put her on the couch," she whispered, as Sonny got out of bed. "Can you bring Si Si down for me? The playpen is still up, so she can lay in there for a while." 

Sonny nodded, leaning down for a kiss. "Still rainin'?" he asked, making his way towards the bathroom. 

"Pouring," she confirmed. "Thunder slowed down a bit, but lightning strikes all over. Maman called and said the power keeps flickering in Oyster Bay..." 

"Oh boy, I hope Frenchie has enough wine to get through a blackout," he teased, closing the bathroom door halfway behind him. 

............

After breakfast, Carina helped clean the dishes, while Sonny peeked out into the backyard. The rain continued to fall, while the grey clouds lingered overhead; dark enough that it almost didn't look like it was eight- thirty in the morning. 

"Thank god we didn't plant anythin' yesterday," he mumbled, pulling the verticals shut. "All that disturbed dirt, would've created a pool of mud." 

"What are we doing today?" Carina asked, as she sat on the counter top next to the sink. 

Sonny made his way over to her, "We, are gonna stay home today," he said, ruffling her red mop of curls. "Today can be a lazy day, in which we do absolutely nothin'." 

Carina huffed, "Hey, when do we ever get to stay home, _all day_ with Daddy?" Isabella asked, placing the last dish into the dishwasher. 

"We can watch TV all day, eat junk food," Sonny listed, as Carina swung her little legs back and forth. "And if the lights go out, we can take a nap!" 

"Can we go to the park tomorrow?" she asked, pouting slightly at him; her eyelashes batting at him, as she cocked her head to the side for the dramatic effect.

Sonny sighed, "I guess we could go to the park tomorrow," he sighed, before breaking out into a grin; which made Carina giggle. "We'll see how the weather is tomorrow, Carina. And if the park is flooded or not..." 

Tickling her lightly, Sonny pulled her off the counter and held her in his arms. "Wanna watch a movie?" he asked her, as she nodded. "Mommy, do you want to watch a movie with us?" 

"Of course," Isabella smiled, setting the rubber gloves along the edge of the sink. "Let's get all the blankets from the hall closet and move the coffee table. We'll make a little nest for us and our little birdies." 

"I'm not a birdie, Mommy!" Carina giggled, as Isabella tickled her foot. "I'm a big girl!" 

Sonny snorted, "You sure are," he said, pretending to struggle at keeping her up on his hip. "God, what have you been eatin', Carina? Rocks?" 

She squealed, "Noodles and meatballs!" 

"Ah, yes," Sonny nodded. "Noodles and meatballs. Your favorite." 

Thunder rumbled, loudly, as the lights flickered on and off, before going off. In the living room, Evelina shrieked in panic, as Isabella made her way out of the kitchen to check on both her and Siena. 

"It's alright," Sonny said, as Carina held onto him tightly. "Let's find the flashlight and we'll hang out in the living room together." 

"Daddy, I'm scared," she whimpered, as Sonny reached blindly for the flashlight; stashed on the counter next to the answering machine and phone. 

He kissed the side of her head, clicking the light on. "Nothin' to be scared of, Carina," he said, following the path Isabella took to the living room. "Mommy and I aren't gonna let a thing happen to ya. We're safe in here,  _topolina."_

In the living room, Isabella had both Evelina and Sienna on the couch. "Shhh, you're fine," she cooed, as Evelina cried. "Right, Si Si? Tell Lina that she's fine." 

"'Ina, 'afe, the infant babbled, reaching out for her sister. 

Handing over Carina, Sonny went to the entertainment center and grabbed the flashlight off the shelf. "I'll get the blankets," he said, handing the other flashlight to her. "Keep them calm and when I get back, we'll set up the floor for our lil nest." 

"See girls," Isabella said, turning the light on. "Daddy's here to protect us!"

"That's me," Sonny said, puffing out his chest for the dramatics. "Supper Daddy to the rescue!" 

Siena squealed, her laughter infectious, as Carina and Isabella giggled with her. Letting out a watery laugh, Evelina wiped her snotty nose with her blanket, before climbing over Carina to get to Isabella. 

"I'll be back," Sonny promised, as Isabella consoled the three and a half year old. "It'll be over soon." 

Quickly, Sonny made his way down the hall to the closet, which housed extra linens, winter jackets and various knick knacks. As the thunder continued to rumble, along with howling wind and rain, Sonny knew it would be a long day ahead. 

But, in the end, it would be fine. A lazy day with the kids and Isabella, rain or not, were always the best way to spend a day off. 


	42. back to school, back to school

Sonny yawned, as he leaned against the handle bars of the shopping cart, watching as Carina and Evelina followed Isabella down the aisle. 

"So, we need three folders, three notebooks..." Isabella said, as she scanned the supply list for Carina. "Lots of art supplies, pencils and glue.." 

"Cans I haves one?" Evelina asked, as she squatted down to look at the items on the shelf. "I wants one!" 

In the top of the wagon, Siena suckled away on her thumb, while giggling at Sonny. "Dada!" she chirped, placing her drool slick hand against his chin. 

He chuckled, moving the cart up and closer to the shelf, giving way for the other parents that were shopping. Target had been a war zone, three weeks before school would actually begin, with disgruntled parents complaining over their child's supply list. With Carina going into Kindergarten, Isabella already had an idea of what the little girl would need for school. Being a former kindergarten teacher herself, Isabella was prepared for the school shopping. 

Sonny, however, wasn't. They'd skipped pre-school, opting to let Carina attend a four year old program at her daycare. It had been a busy year, between moving and preparing for Sienna's birth, along with working long and strange hours. Pre-school, while they'd both originally wanted to do it, was the last thing on their minds. 

But now, in the middle of August, Sonny was hit with the the cold and hard reality of life. His firstborn, his little partner in crime, was _officially_ a big girl now. Five years old going on thirty, Carina was no longer the little newborn they'd brought home from the hospital, five years previously. Going from a little tiny baby, to a walking talking toddler, the first five years of Carina's life had gone by so quickly. Add in a two and a half year old, along with a nine month old, Sonny didn't realize how  _old_ he'd become. Thirty-seven and more grey now, than when he and Isabella had gotten married. 

"You need a folder, a notebook and more wipes for school,' Isabella said to Evelina, as they looked for folders. "Okay, which do we want girls? Kitties and puppies? Or Disney princesses?"

While the girls looked at their options, Sonny helped out by chucking in the required glue sticks, pencils and erasers. 

"What else, Iz?" he asked, as he lightly pushed the wagon back and forth, making Sienna squeal in delight. 

"A twenty-four pack of crayons," Isabella said, setting four marble notebooks into the wagon. "Here, mark off what we have in the wagon.." 

Taking the list and pen, Sonny did just that, whistling at the remaining items they still had to get. "God, how many years do we have to do this for?" he asked, searching for both fine line and broad line markers. 

"Well," Isabella sighed, taking the princess folders from Carina. "At least until middle school I'd say. I know for my kids, I require binders and lots of pens, pencils and highlighters. Oh! And a valid library card!" 

He snorted, "Maybe we should send the girls to your school," he shrugged. "At least one of us will be able to have an eye on them, once they're in the high school years. 

Carina skipped over to him, wrapping her arms around his leg. "What'cha doooooin', Daddy?" she asked, looking up at him. 

"I'm lookin' for ya markers," he reported, laying his hand upon her head. "Your teacher is askin' for a lot, Carina.." 

She giggled, "Mommy says I need to buy more undies for school," she shrugged, picking up a pack of sharpie markers. "And a shirt for paintin' time!" 

Grabbing two packages of different markers, Sonny chucked them into the wagon, before picking Carina up. "We'll find ya a shirt for paint time," he promised, kissing her on the forehead. "And clothes to send into school..." 

"Kay!" she sighed, turning to look at the racks of supplies. " _Oooohh!_ Paw Patrol pencils! Daddy, can I get 'em!" 

"You can get 'em," Sonny nodded, taking two packs off the rack. "Let's finish up over here, before Mommy fights someone over school supplies." 

Isabella made a face, shaking her head at him. "Can we get cookies?" Carina asked, as Evelina started whining at her mother. "And cookies for the kitties?" 

He nodded, "Whatever you want," he chuckled, setting her down on her feet. "Let's keep it movin', ladies. I wanna get out of here alive.." 

..............

The next shopping trip, took pace out on Long Island, and with his mother-in-law. A few days after shopping for supplies at Target, they took their weekly trip to Isabella's parents house, for a fun-filled day of shopping. For school clothes. 

Not only was Carina getting older, she was getting taller; her winter clothes from the previous year were either too short on her, or too small. Being a Carisi, the poor girl was destined to be tall and lanky like her Father. 

"Let's just get her enough to get through til after Christmas," Sonny said, as they drove out to Riverhead. "We don't have to buy everythin' today, Iz." 

"I know," she nodded, looking back at the girls. "I told Maman, but knowing her? She'll buy all three of them a new wardrobe before we blink." 

Noelle was well known for spoiling her three grand-children, being the fact that they were her only grand-children at the moment; Joey, only twenty-two, showed no signs of settling down anytime soon. 

_"I saw it at the store and I knew it would look beautiful on my Carina,"_

_"It has cats on it, Isabella. And blue is Evelina's favorite color."_

_"You know how I get, when I see baby clothes! It's so fun, buying clothes for a baby again!"_

A big portion of all three of their wardrobes, was a mix between hand-me downs, sale shopping and Noelle Palladino. And being that they were heading out to the outlets, Sonny feared for what was to come. 

Parking the car next, a few spaces away from Noelle and Antonio, Sonny got out and moved to get the stroller out of the trunk. "Just... try to tell Frenchie that she can't buy everythin'," he said, opening the contraption up. 

"I'll try," Isabella huffed, as she helped Carina out of the car. "Do not run! Stand right here and wait for Daddy and Mommy to get your sisters out." 

Getting Evelina and Siena out of their car seats, Noelle and Antonio had finally reached them. "Are we ready?" Noelle asked, smiling at her grand-children. "We're going to have such a fun day!" 

Carina and Evelina squealed, jumping up and down, while Isabella set the diaper bag over the handle bar. "You walk with Carina," she said, once Sienna was strapped in. "I'll push her for now, while I talk to Maman." 

"You sure?" Sonny asked, as Carina rushed to take his hand into her own. 

"I rather do it now, before we step foot into the store," Isabella sighed, rolling her eyes. "Don't know why I'm wasting my breath, since shes' gonna do what she wants at the end of the day." 

"Walk with me, Lina," Antonio said, taking the little girl by the hand. "Grandpa needs someone to hold his hand, otherwise he'll go missin'.." 

With the girls off with Sonny and Antonio, Isabella and Noelle walked behind them with the stroller. "Remember," Isabella started, as they crossed over to the sidewalk. "Don't go crazy, Maman. Just a few things for Carina, as well as Lina and Si Si. We're not buying a whole new wardrobe for the three of them." 

Noelle scoffed, "You never let me have any fun," she nearly pouted. "I get those coupons just like you two do, Isabella. What I do with my money, is my concern. Not yours." 

"It is my concern, when I have too many clothes to wash and put away," Isabella shot back. "Sonny and I had to buy  _another_ wardrobe thing for their bedroom. We can't keep buying and filling up the rooms with dressers and wardrobes, Maman. We'd have to get rid of the beds and they'll have to sleep in our bed." 

"Oh, you  _poor_ thing," Noelle snorted, shaking her head. "Fine, I will come by next weekend and take some of their clothes to have at our house." 

Isabella nodded, "That sounds reasonable," she said. "It  _would_ make my laundry pile shrink by half..." 

Her mother nodded in agreement, "And, I'll replace those clothes, with the ones I plan to buy today," she said, looking smug. "Do not deny me of my grand-motherly rights, Isabella. I may never have grandchildren from Joey, so let me enjoy this for as long as I possibly can." 

"Fine," she sighed, shaking her head. "You can deal with Sonny, when he starts his complaining again." 

"Ah, I'll buy him a new tie for work,' Noelle shrugged, as they reached the first stop of the day. "It's about time he replace the ones he insists on wearing everyday." 

................

"Daddy, I love all my new things for school," Carina said, the following week. "Thank you for buying them for me!" 

Sonny chuckled, as he put away the laundry; endless pairs of underwear, socks and little tops and bottoms. "You're welcome,  _topolina,"_ he said, reorganizing the dresser drawer. "Let's hope ya don't grow another inch or two between now and Christmas, alright? All that shoppin' makes Daddy tired." 

_And sick, thinkin' about the credit card bill_

Carina pouted, making her way over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Silly Daddy," she sighed, pecking his cheek with a kiss. "Mommy says you don't like shopping, because you have to spend lots of dollars." 

"Mommy's right," Sonny nodded, sitting down on the carpeted floor. "And Daddy rather not spend all his dollars on in one place." 

"We can takes it all back," she shrugged, looking a bit upset. 

But Sonny shook his head, smoothing her hair back from her face. "As much as I don't like spendin' my dollars, I  _do_ love seein' how happy you are," he said. "Buyin' all these things for school for you? Seein' you so happy about goin' to kindergarten, makes me happy,  _topolina."_

"Are you sad that I'm goin' to kindy-garden?" Carina asked, frowning at her own question. 

"Well, a little," Sonny nodded. "You're a big girl now, Carina. You went from bein' a lil' baby to a big girl, all in five years. Just scares me is all, that you're not a baby anymore." 

Carina nodded slowly, playing with the fraying neckline of his shirt. "But, I'm still a baby, Daddy," she pointed out, giving him a half shrug. "Mommy says that cuz I'm the first one, I'll always be the baby because I was first." 

He chuckled, "Mommy's right about that," he nodded. "You're always gonna be mine and Mommy's baby, Carina. Even when ya thirty years old, and we're both old, you're still gonna be our lil' girl." 

"Then don't be sad, Daddy," Carina giggled. "I'll still go to the food store with you on the weekends! And makes dinner with you and all the other stuffs." 

"Thank the lord," Sonny said, sighing dramatically. "What would I do without ya, Carina?" 

She squealed as he tickled her lightly, "Buy all the yucky cookies that Auntie Gina buys," she said, scrunching up her nose. "Auntie Gina can't make meatsballs like you can, Daddy." 

Sonny snorted, "Nah, the cookin' gene skipped her," he teased, pulling her onto his lap and into his arms. "I love ya, Carina." 

"I love you too, Daddy," she beamed at him. "Can we have noodles for dinner? 

"Of course we can," he nodded, smothering her little face with kisses. "Wanna help me put away the rest of the laundry? We still have towels to put away and Mommy's clothes." 

Carina nodded, "After we put away Mommy's clothes, we can make the noodles and water our flowers," she said, moving to stand up. 

Pulling himself up off the floor, Sonny picked up the laundry basket. "Sounds good," he said, as she skipped ahead of him into the hallway. "C'mon, Rina. Let's put those little arms to work!" 

................

After dropping Carina off on her first day of Kindergarten, Sonny showed her picture to his squad, like the proud papa that he was.

Her Star Wars backpack, clashed with the long sleeved pink dress; the prints of the Eiffel Tower, a sweater wearing cat and  _le meow,_ scattered about. Paired off with a pair of black capri length leggings and her black converse sneakers, she was beaming happily in the picture. 

"She's all you, Carisi," Fin snorted, handing the phone over to Liv. 

"Absolutely precious," Liv cooed, smiling at the photo of her niece. "How'd she do?" 

Sonny nodded, "She was excited!" he said, as Amanda looked at the photo. "Her best friend, Brennan, is in her class. And another lil girl from the daycare they went to. So.. she's got some friendly faces there." 

They nodded, "What about you, Dad?" Amanda asked, elbowing him lightly. "How are you holdin' up? How's Iz?" 

"Iz cried of course, taking a billion pictures all mornin'," he chuckled. "I'm alright. I mean, I know she's gonna be fine there, bein' with her friends. Her teacher's a nice girl, and we met her last week at the open house.." 

"But..." Liv drawled, knowing exactly how he felt. 

"Just sad is all," he shrugged. "I have a kindergardener now, guys. A five year old. Blows my mind is all." 

His friends nodded, "It goes fast, Carisi," Fin warned. 

"It's scary and you won't get used to it," Amanda said. "But..they'll always know that they're still your baby." 

"Trust us, we went through the same thing today with our kids," Liv sighed, shaking her head. "Second graders already." 

Amanda cringed, "Just another reminder that I'm gonna suck at helpin' her with homework.." 

Looking down at her watch, Liv sighed, handing Sonny back his phone. "Let's see where we're at with the LoBianco case, before Barba comes up," she said. "Sonny, I need all your paperwork filled and on my desk after lunch. Isabella would have my ass, if you're not there to pick Carina up from school at two-thirty." 

"On it, Lieu," he said, making his way over to his desk. 

Sitting down, Sonny took another long look at Carina's picture, before swiping to the next one; a snapshot of both him and her, right by her classroom door. The big smiles on their faces, as Isabella took the picture of them both. 

 _Look at my favorite duo,_ she teased, taking the picture.  _Two peas in a pod, you two._

Sonny chuckled and shook his head, setting the phone down on his desk. It would a long day, as he started going through the files on his desk. It would be a difficult few weeks, getting used to having his baby in kindergarden for most of the day. But it would be fine, he thought. Carina was a big girl now and she wasn't alone, being in a class with he friends. Sonny would get over it, eventually. Besides,  he couldn't wait to hear all about Carina's adventures of the day. 

 


	43. curious girls just wanna rule the world

"What are you doin',  _topolina?"_ Sonny asked, as Carina stood before the bathroom door. "Someone's in there. You have to wait your turn.." 

Carina turned and looked up at him, "Mommy go poop," she said, shrugging slightly. "Poop. It stinky, Daddy." 

He chuckled, nodding slowly, "Yeah, poop does smell stinky," he agreed, as he held Evelina in his arms. "Mommy's in the bathroom, so let's leave her alone." 

"Mamaaaaaaa!" Evelina whined, holding her hand out towards the bathroom door. "MAMA!" 

There was a groan from behind the door, "Can't I use the bathroom in  _peace?"_ Isabella asked, as Carina patted lightly against the door. "Come on, guys! I'm going to the bathroom!" 

"Let's go watch a movie," Sonny said, moving forward to take Carina's hand. "Leave Mommy alone." 

"But I wants to see her," Carina pouted, trying to reach for the door knob. "I wants to be with Mommy and her poop." 

Isabella mumbled a few words, "Carina, I'll be out in a few minutes," she said, as the little girl whined. "Please!" 

Reluctantly, Carina took her Daddy's hand and followed him down the hall to the living room, where both her and Evelina's toys took refuge of the house. At three and one, the girls were capable of making a huge mess of their toys; which cluttered up nearly every inch of the apartment. They were also hellbent on being  _everywhere_ that Mommy and Daddy where. And the bathroom was their favorite place, as they either forced their way into the room or stood outside the locked door; banging and screaming for either one of them. 

It was also at this stage, that Carina was fascinated by poop. Finally free of pull-ups and able to use the toilet, semi-independently, Carina always found amusement when it came time to do a number two. 

" _Look how big my poopie is, Daddy!"_ Carina would squeal.  _"It's green! Cuz I ate grass for lunch!"_

Even when it came to change Evelina's diaper, Carina was right there at the changing table, curious to see what her little sister left behind. It also became an issue at her daycare, when her teachers were in the middle of helping her classmates in the bathroom. 

 _"She is very curious about her friends... bowel movements,"_ the teacher said, to a very embarrassed Isabella at pickup time one afternoon. 

Now, as Sonny put a movie on for the girls, Carina sat on the couch with a pout on her face. "Don't be sad, Carina," he said, covering her with a blanket. "You have to give Mommy some space when she uses the potty. You don't have to look at what everyone puts in the toilet bowl.." 

"I just wants to see if poopie is green, Daddy," Carina sighed, her little feet bobbing up and down under the blanket. 

"I know ya do,  _topolina,"_ Sonny nodded. "But sometimes, it's best to just let it be a secret." 

When Isabella was done using the bathroom, she came out to find a grumpy three year old and a sleepy toddler, nestled together on the sofa. 

"She's  _maaaad_ at you," Sonny snickered, as he sorted through the mail. "She wanted to see the color of your poop." 

"Well, she'll have to get over it," Isabella shrugged, moving the stack of library books out of the way. "The quicker she gets over this poop obsession, the better. Of all the things to get fixated on.." 

................

Sonny yawned as he stood before the toilet bowl, his pants pulled down to mid-thigh, as he emptied his bladder. It was early, only a quarter to six on a Saturday, which meant no work; as long as Liv didn't  _really_ need him. After putting the girls down for bed, both he and Isabella cracked out a bottle of wine and had one too many glasses.

"Daddy, what's that?" 

The sound of Evelina's voice scared the life out of him, as Sonny jumped; pee splashing all over the toilet seat and floor. 

"Evelina!" he cried, trying his best to shield himself from the three year old. "What are you doin' out of bed?" he asked, pulling his pants back up quickly. 

The girl stood in the doorway of the bathroom, her strawberry blonde hair in tangles, frowning at him. "What's that?" she asked again, pointing to him. 

"Uh..." his still slightly drunk brain, couldn't work fast enough at that moment, as the girl stood before him. "It's nothin', Lina. Go back to sleep?" 

But Evelina was very curious and wouldn't take that for an answer. "I don't has that," she frowned. "I gots a 'gina! Mommy says girls has 'ginas to pee pee from." 

"Well.. how about you ask Mommy?" he suggested, washing his hands at the sink. "Mommy's smarter than Daddy." 

"Kay!" Evelina squealed, turning on her heels to rush down the hallway. 

Cursing, Sonny turned the water off and rushed after her, "Lina, no!" he hissed, as she scurried into the master bedroom. 

"Mommy! Mommy!" Evelina chanted, as she climbed up onto the bed, crawling over to Isabella's side. "Mommy!" 

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Isabella asked, fighting through the wine-filled daze. "Oh god, wine was a bad idea Sonny.." 

Evelina patted her forehead, "Mommy, what's Daddy got to pee pee from?" she asked, as Isabella groaned. 

Twisting under the sheets, Isabella sighed. "What?" she asked, as Evelina moved closer to her; to the point that she was nearly on top of her. "What are you talking about, Lina? What time is it?" 

"What's Daddy got to pee pee from?" she asked again. 

"What?" Isabella asked again, waking up a bit more. "What are you talking about?" 

Sonny sighed, "Lina, leave Mommy alone," he said, moving across the bedroom to pull her off the bed. 

"No, Daddy!" Lina whined, as she reached for Isabella. "Mommy!" 

Sitting up, Isabella held her arms out and Sonny let the girl go, watching as she crawled to her Mother's side. "What are you asking me, sweetheart? Talk slowly, since Mommy's still sleepy." 

Brushing her curls away from her face, Evelina let out a rush of air, before speaking slowly. "What does Daddy have to pee pee from?" He don't have a 'gina like me and you and Carina and Sienna!"

"Uh.." Isabella blinked, turning her sleepy and confused gaze to Sonny. "What is she talking about?"

"She..uh.. walked in on me using the bathroom," Sonny shrugged sightly, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment.  "I told her to ask you, but I didn't think she'd come runnin' in here at six in the mornin'." 

Isabella groaned. "What is it, Mommy?" Evelina asked, bouncing up and down on the mattress. "How comes I don't gots one!" 

Shaking her head, Isabella laid back against the pillows and looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. 

"Well, Lina..." she started. "Boys and girls have different body parts...." 

..................

Sonny looked down at the caller ID on his phone and sighed, before swiping his thumb across the screen to answer it. 

"Hello?" 

"Dominick Carisi Junior, "Isabella started. "I swear to god, I could beat you for passing your need to be curious, down to our girls." 

He sighed, "Well, hello to you too, Isabella," he started, as Amanda drove through the streets of lower Manhattan. "I'm havin' a great day, sweetheart. How's yours?" 

"How's mine?" Isabella asked, scoffing. "I just got a phone call from Siena's teacher. Turns out, our lovely daughter, went and told the goddamn  _tween_ that I'm bleeding from "down there," and the girl thought the worst and tried filing a complaint!" 

"Wait, what?" Sonny asked, as Amanda glanced over at him with a frown. "What kinda complaint?" 

Isabella scoffed, "I have no fucking clue, Sonny," she snapped. "I just picked her up and had to sit through a meeting with the bitch of a director. I had to fucking tell her, the teacher and some girl that sits in the office that I'm on my fucking period. That again, after months of trying, I'm still not pregnant. That our daughter, like her sisters, are so goddamn nosy when it comes to us being in the bathroom." 

He sighed, "Iz, what do you want me to do?" he asked. "Give her a spankin' because she's curious?" 

"I just want to use the goddamn bathroom, without having a kid busting in on me!" she cried. "Now I have to explain to her what a period is! That the things she throws around at the cats, are not "arrows" and what Mommy uses them for. She's not even three yet!" 

"Iz, go home and put the kids down in Carina's bed with a movie," he said. "I'll be home soon and I'll take over, that way you can down a bottle of wine or somethin'..." 

Isabella snorted harshly, "Great, another thing my kids can go and tell their teachers about," she retorted. "Mommy drinks a smelly drink, while Daddy encourages her." 

Sonny chuckled, "They're little, Iz," he reminded her. "They are curious and they like to ask questions. Sometimes, they like to share too much information to others. It's gonna be alright at the end of the day." 

"I hate when you're right, Sonny," Isabella sighed. 

"I know you do," he laughed. "You remind me every single day." 

Exchanging "I love you's" and hanging up, Sonny placed his phone back into his pocket and sighed. 

"So... what the hell was that about?" Amanda asked, as she turned down the block to their destination. "I could  _feel_ Iz's anger and that alone, was enough to scare me straight." 

"Ah, Siena went and told her teacher that Iz is on her period," he shrugged, as Amanda pulled over to the curb. "The girl freaked out and tried filin' a complaint or somethin', so Isabella had to go down to the daycare and straighten in out. So, now they all know that we're tryin' for another kid and that it's not workin'.." 

Amanda nodded, "That sucks," she said, giving him a sympathetic look. "Still nothin'?" 

Sonny shook his head, "We're gonna try one more time and if it doesn't happen, we're stoppin'," he shrugged. "Sucks, but I don't want Iz gettin' upset over it. It's takin' a lot outta her.." 

"How about, I take wifey out on a girl date?" Amanda offered, as they got out of the car. "We're both off tomorrow night. I can bring Jessie over, that way she can play with the girls and eat your famous spaghetti and meatball dish." 

"Leave me with four girls?" Sonny snorted, as they started towards the apartment building. "Ya wanna kill me here, Amanda?" 

She shrugged, "Well, you're tryin' for another kid," she reminded him. "When Iz get's pregnant again, you may end up havin' another girl on your hands!" 

They started up the staircase, "You think it's gonna work this time?" he asked, as they rounded up to the next flight of steps. 

"Please, you're destined to be surrounded by an obscene amount of children," she snorted. "I feel bad for Iz, since it's her body they gotta leave out of..." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, as they reached their designated floor. "But, for her sake," Amanda continued. "I hope she gets pregnant real soon, that way it's nine plus months of bein' "why's Mommy bleedin' down there," free." 

 


	44. Shades of Fall

**September**

Sonny could smell the mixture of cinnamon and pumpkin, as he made his way towards the apartment door. Snorting, he twisted the keys into the locks, pushing the door open. 

"I'm home!" he called out, stepping into the apartment. 

"In here!" 

Setting his keys down on the hall table, Sonny shut and locked the door behind him, before making his way into the apartment. The entire placed smelled like a bakery, as was decorated in various fall colors. On the sofa, Isabella laid out across the cushions, while Carina dozed in and out on her chest; a heavy flannel blanket covering them both. 

"Hi, baby," Isabella said softly, smiling up at him. 

"It smells like a pumpkin factory in here," Sonny noted, bending down to kiss her on the lips. 

She giggled, "It's  _finally_ September!" she sighed happily, as he moved to kiss Carina on the head. 

He snorted, "It's September  _first,"_ he pointed out, as she scowled. "It's not even fall yet, if you wanna get technical." 

"No, I don't," Isabella said, blowing a raspberry at him. "Summer is done and over, therefore, it's time to crack out the fall decor and fall clothes." 

"It's eighty-five degrees outside!" Sonny cried, pulling at his tie. "I'm sweatin' like a pig here, and you're all dressed up like it's a rainy fall day!" 

Isabella sighed, as Carina yawned. "Don't be a debbie downer, Sonny. Fall is  _my_ season," she reminded him. "You said so yourself." 

Sonny knew that she was right, considering that all the big moments happened in the fall; they got engaged in November and were married the following September. They favored the fall holidays, and Sonny's photographs always came out better during the fall; between the clothes Isabella and Carina wore, to the color of the leaves, both his girls were breathtaking in the fall. 

"Yeah, you are extra sexy in the fall," Sonny murmured, as she giggled. "I'm gonna shower and change into somethin' comfortable. What do you wanna do this evening, since it's still early?"

  
"Well," Isabella sighed, glancing at the clock on the cable box;  _four-thirty_ the green lights read. "I did put a load of clothes in the wash, that need to go in the dryer. I took our fall attire out of storage and washed it, so that it's fresh and ready to wear." 

Sonny didn't have the heart to tell her that New York would be hit with a heat wave in the following week. So instead, he smiled at her. "I'll do it," he said, squeezing her sock clad foot. "Do you want me to put the baby down in her playpen?"

The one year old wiggled against her chest, "Nah, she's good," Isabella said, running her hand up and down her back. "Hurry up though, that way we can cuddle on the sofa with her. We've missed you  _alllll_ day. Right, sweetheart? We missed Daddy?" 

Carina let out a sleepy giggle, as her blue eyes settled on Sonny. "Dada!" she chirped, as he tickled her chubby leg. "Dada, miss yew!" 

"I missed you too,  _topolina,"_ Sonny grinned, as her little foot kicked at his hand. "As soon as I'm done, we'll play with ya blocks." 

"Oh boy," Isabella teased. "Hopefully this time, she won't take aim for your head." 

Sonny snorted as he stood up from the couch, "You and me both," he remarked, as Carina babbled. "Oh, Ma called me earlier." 

"Oh yeah?" 

He nodded, making his way towards the hallway. "She and Pop can watch the baby the weekend of our anniversary," he said, looking over his shoulder at her. "So... I hope you got nothin' planned for the end of the month, Iz. I've got  _big_ plans for the two of us." 

..................

**October**

"Babe!" Isabella squealed from the bedroom, as he finished going to the bathroom. "Netflix just uploaded all the Halloween movies!  _Hocus Pocus, Sleepy Hallow, The Corpse Bride!_ They even put  _The Addams Family_ on this year!" 

He chuckled, wiping his hands on the towel, before making his way back into the bedroom. "How are we gonna spend the whole weekend, watchin' movies, when we have three kids runnin' about?" 

"Maman and Dad are coming out to get them," Isabella shrugged. "They wanted the girls for the weekend. And, since I'm off on Monday for Columbus Day, like you... we've got a  _three_ day weekend to watching movies, drink salted caramel drinks and decorate this place for Halloween!" 

Sonny fixed the bed, placing the pillows back up on the respected places. "Iz, it's three days that we can use to  _rest,"_ he reminded her. "I left work early to spend the night with you and the girls..." 

The door bell went off at that moment, which sent their six year old, three and a half year old and their nearly two year old, in a frenzy. 

"GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ARE HERE, MOMMY!" Carina shouted, as Isabella stood up from the bed. 

"Come on, baby," Isabella cooed, running her hand across his chest. "Three whole days with the love of your life, being lazy and having lots of fun." 

Sonny gripped her hips in his hands, "Yeah, havin' fun doin' other things," he pointed out. "Like sleepin' and havin' lots of sex, without havin' one of the kids interruptin' us. Besides, we got pumpkins last Sunday. What more do we need to decorate?" 

She smirked, "Three pumpkins are not enough, when it comes to Halloween decorations," Isabella stated, standing on her toes to kiss him on the lips. "Let's go say goodbye to the kids and I'll show you something I found, while cleaning out the closet last weekend." 

"Now you gotta put out," Sonny groaned, following her down the hallway towards the stairs. "You can't just dangle that carrot before me and not let me get a taste." 

Along with her clothes, Isabella also changed up her lingerie to match the seasons; black, burgundy, deep purples and greens; anything to match the color of the changing seasons, fall was Sonny's favorite time of the year. The dark colors contrasted nicely against her pale skin, no longer sun kissed after the long summer days at the park or near the water on the weekends. And with Halloween around the corner, Sonny knew he was in for a real treat. 

"Be a good boy and I'll do more than put out," Isabella winked, as she started down the steps. "And, boy do I have a  _lot_ of surprises for you this weekend." 

................

**November.**

It could be safely said that November was Sonny's favorite month of the year. That last month before fall bled into winter, and the decor went from pumpkins, leaves and foxes to Santa's, reindeers and holly leaves. It was also the month in which two of his four children were born in, just before Thanksgiving. Two years apart, of course.

"My two birthday girls," Sonny grinned, as he held Evelina on one hip and Siena on another. "My beautiful birthday girls." 

"I wanna be a birthday girl," Carina pouted, as her sisters giggled. 

Isabella snorted, as Elenora drooled on herself. "You had your birthday in June, Carina," she reminded the eight year old. "Birthday's come every year, sweetheart. You're birthday isn't due for another seven months." 

Sonny nodded, "You got plenty of time,  _topolina,"_ he said, smiling at his eldest. "Now, how about we finish gettin' the house ready for the party? Everyone's gonna be here soon and we only got a few balloons up!" 

"Down, Daddy!" Siena giggled, as he kissed her cheek. 

"Go on," he grunted, setting both girls down. "God, I need to stop pickin' them both up at the same time. My back can't take it anymore." 

"How do you think I felt, carrying them around  _inside_ my belly for nine months?" she teased, jiggling Eleanora up and down lightly. "Add kicking around my organs with that. Sure as hell isn't a walk in the park." 

Sonny sighed, watching as the girls ran off to the living room. "You sure you wanna go through it again?" he asked quietly, as Elenora cooed. 

Only four days prior, the confirmation of Isabella's positive pregnancy test, was made final; eight weeks pregnant and due in the following summer, it would be one of their last big holidays as a family of six. 

"Of course," Isabella snorted. "If it means I get to plan cute parties for my babies.." 

"Yeah, cute and  _expensive,"_ Sonny rolled his eyes. "They're six and four, Iz. Do they  _really_ need all the balloons, streamers and everythin' else?" 

She scoffed, "This is coming from a man, who has three siblings of his own, that had big birthday parties up until he was twenty-one," she snorted. "You didn't start having big parties again, until you starting dating me." 

Sonny shrugged, as he took the baby from her. "It just sucks now, gettin' older," he shrugged, as he and Elenora looked at each other. "I'm forty-one and I feel like I'm eighty-one. Things are startin' to hurt more now, than they did when I turned thirty." 

"Yet you still look as handsome as ever," Isabella sighed, wiping away a fake tear. "Next year, we'll tone it down a bit. Especially since the baby is due in the middle of the summer." 

"I'll believe it when I see it," he teased,pressing a kiss to Ellie's cheek. "I'm glad we have two November babies. It makes the month so much more fun, now that I'm old enough to appreciate it." 

Isabella giggled, "Oh no, Ellie," she gasped, as the baby squealed. "Daddy's gonna start being sentimental now."

He scowled at her, "I just mean that, since it's gonna be Thanksgivin' soon, I have a lot to be thankful for," he said, kissing the baby's forehead. "I have four beautiful and healthy children, with another on the way. A wife who is my best friend and the love of my life, blessin' me with the most amazin' lil' kids ever. A great job, a big family and great friends.." 

At that, Isabella melted, smiling softly at him. "I'm thankful all year round, of course," he continued, looking from the baby to his wife. "But when it comes to goin' around the table at dinner time, I've got a lot to say before the next person goes.." 

"You're such a romantic, Sonny," she teased, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "After all these years." 

"At least I still have my charm," he snorted, as she ran her fingers through his now grey hair. "Can't say the same about my looks." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Still as handsome as the day I met you," she sighed happily. "And in far more better shape, now that I look like a muffin that's overflowing in a pan." 

Sonny chuckled, "That's a new one," he noted, shaking his head. "Nah, you're still gorgeous Iz. Ten years together, four kids and you still take my breath away." 

"Daddddyyyy! I wanna put the sparkles on the tables!" Evelina whined from the other room. "Hurry!" 

"Carina, stop it!" Siena whined, as her elder sister started taunting her. "You're bein' a meanie!" 

Shaking his head, Sonny handed Elenora over to his wife. "Party hasn't started yet and they're already fightin'," he remarked, as the three girls began to shout at each other. 

"Ah, the day will be over before you know it," Isabella reminded him, as his started for the living room. "Add that to the list of things to be thankful for!" 

He chuckled, making his way into the battle zone, that consisted of the three eldest Carisi girls. "Alright girls!" he clapped his hands together. "Stop fightin' and lets get this house ready for a party!" 


	45. Evelina Marie Carisi

When it was time to give birth to their second child, Isabella was somewhat ready for the experience. It was during the early morning hours of November tenth, when contractions woke her up. Waking Sonny with the news, Isabella watched as he rushed about, while she calmly climbed out of bed and made her way next door. Luckily, Angela had volunteered to come out to Queens, when the original November second due date came and went. With Noelle at home with a cold, neither Sonny or Isabella wanted to risk passing the germs onto the newborn. So, when the first set of contractions started, the doctor had been called and Angela was up to watch Carina. 

"Just calm down," Angela said, as Sonny rushed between the kitchen and the bedroom. "Isabella's more calm than you, Sonny! And she's the one that has to give birth at the end of it!" 

Taking the drive out to Lennox Hill, Isabella was checked in and set up in a room; IV's and monitors set up around her. Stripped out of her warm nightclothes, she donned a stiff hospital gown and fuzzy socks, before Sonny tucked her into the bed. 

"How do ya feel?" he asked, pulling the chair closer to her bedside. 

"Cold," she pouted, turning her head to face him. "And relieved that this is coming to an end." 

He chuckled, "Me too," he said, bringing her hand to his lips. "Do you want anythin'? Ice chips? A walk up and down the hallway?" 

She shook her head, "Maybe later," she sighed, as a contraction started up. " _Ohhhh...._ you  _motherfucker!"_

"Breathe, breathe," Sonny said, as she squeezed his hand tightly. "Shhh, there we go. Deep breath in and let it out, Iz." 

"God, I forgot how painful those things are," Isabella gasped, once the contraction ended. "Jesus Christ, this is gonna be awful isn't it?" 

Sonny nodded, "But you're gonna be great, Iz,' he insisted, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. "My Wonder Woman." 

Isabella gave him a tired smile, "Can you call Mom?" she asked, as he smoothed her hair back from her forehead. "Let her know that we got here and see how Carina's doing?" 

"Of course," Sonny said. "Do you want me to call anyone else? Frenchie?" 

"No, because she'll literally drive herself out here," Isabella mumbled, as Doctor Brown made his way into the room. "And I don't want her germs infesting me or the baby." 

Snorting, Sonny stood up and shook Doctor Brown's hand, before leaning down to kiss Isabella. "I'll be right outside," he said, as the doctor and nurse checked the fetal monitor and Isabella's heart monitor. "Don't go anywhere."

Isabella scoffed, "As if I could get far," she mumbled, as the doctor got ready to examen her.

"Be right back!" Sonny promised again, making his way towards the door; the phone already at his ear, dialing the familiar house number. "Hey, Ma!" he greeted, as Angela picked up. "We're here at the hospital and Iz is gettin' checked out right now..."

..................

By mid-afternoon, Isabella had progressed nicely, dilating quicker than she had with Carina. Taking a walk up and down the hallway, they made it back to the room just as her water broke.  When the doctor checked, she was at seven centimeters dilated and nearing the end. 

"Maybe in another hour or two, she'll be at ten," Doctor Brown noted, as he tossed out the gloves. "Are you  _sure_ you don't want the epidural?" 

"No, no drugs," Isabella said, shaking her head. "I had Carina without them and I plan on having Evelina without them too." 

Sonny nodded slowly, despite wishing to himself that she would just take the damn drugs. "Alright, if you change your mind, I'll call someone up to get it to you," Doctor Brown said. "I'll come back in an hour to check on you." 

Once he was out of the room, Sonny turned to look at her. "Iz, maybe you should take the epidural," he said, as she panted. "The doc said this baby might be ten pounds..." 

"Carina was nine, when I pushed out of my vagina," she reported. "And I did that  _without_ drugs. Ten pounds is nothing, Sonny. If my vagina can push out a nine pound baby, without tearing it to shreds, it can push out a ten pound baby." 

"I don't know if I should be turned on, or terrified right now," Sonny admitted, as she glared at him. "You are literally the  _strongest_ woman I've ever met, Iz." 

Isabella let out a huff, "Don't play cute with me, Sonny," she growled, shifting against the mattress and pillows. "Because if I could get away with it, I'd castrate you right here in this room." 

He whistled, shaking his head. "We all know that you won't, Iz," he chuckled, "You say that all the time, but here we are." 

"Sonny, shut the fuc-" she gasped, her hold tightening around his hand. "FUCKKKKKKKKK!!" 

"Ouch! My hand!" Sonny yelled, watching as his fingers nearly went purple from the pressure. "Iz, you're hurtin' my ha-" 

"SONNY SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT YOUR FUCKING HAND!" Isabella screeched, as the contraction ripped through her. "GET THIS FUCKING BABY OUT OF ME!" 

Causing so much commotion, a nurse rushed into the room, while Sonny managed to adjust her hold on his hand. "Shhh," he tried soothing her, as Isabella wept through the tail end of the contraction. "Just breathe, Iz. You're almost there.." 

It was only a quarter to twelve, yet it seemed like they had been there forever, as the nurse checked the readings for both Evelina and Isabella. Seeing that everything was alright, the nurse grabbed fresh gloves out of the box on the table. 

"Let's just check and see if you're started to progress quicker than originally thought," she said, moving the blanket to the side. "Can you spread your legs a bit, dear? I'll try to be quick as possible.." 

Grumbling, Isabella did just that, wincing in discomfort as the nurse eased her fingers into her, feeling around quickly to determine any change. "Just about eight and a half, I'd say," she murmured. "I'll call Doctor Brown and let him know. He was only in here twenty minutes ago, so considering you're on the cusp of being nine centimeters, I'd say you'll be holding your baby girl by four the latest." 

"Let us fucking hope," Isabella grumbled, as the nurse went to toss out the gloves and wash her hands. 

"Yeah," Sonny agreed, flexing his fingers; the indent of Isabella's nails popping up along the top of his hand. "Let us hope." 

....................

"Head is crowning," Doctor Brown announced, just as Isabella let out a wail. "Just like last time, Isabella. Nice and easy with the pushing and breathe  _deeply."_

After feeling the urge to push, Sonny rushed out to call the labor and delivery nurse, who then called Doctor Brown. Ten minutes later, the doctor confirmed that it was indeed time to push, as another nurse came in to help prep. Legs up the stirrups, Isabella was in a mix between fear and relief, knowing that Evelina was about to make her appearance. 

"Look at that," Sonny said, as he glanced down at the sight; the top of Evelina's head, making it's way up and out. "I think she might be a bit blonde, Iz." 

Placing his hand on her trembling thigh, Sonny looked back up at her. "I've got ya, baby," he said softly, giving her thigh a squeeze. "Come on, Iz. Push." 

It was something had had missed the first time around, missing the opportunity to watch Carina leave her home of nine months. Between Isabella's panic and the pain, Sonny put his sole focus on her, missing the moment when Doctor Brown guided her out into the world. 

"Is-is it disgusting?" Isabella panted. 

"Nah, it's beautiful," Sonny reassured her, knowing that she would find it disgusting; the blood and vernix that covered Evelina's head and stained the bed underneath Isabella. "She's right there, Iz. Evelina's right there and she's ready to come out and see us." 

Watching the monitor, Doctor Brown moved closer to the bed. "Okay, on the next contraction, I want you to push," he ordered. "But very slowly, alright? Once her head pops right on out, you'll be very close to the end here." 

Another five minutes, and three pushes later, Sonny watched as Evelina Marie Carisi came into the world. Bloody and  _screaming_ like her mother, as she the doctor suctioned out her nose and mouth, before placing her in Isabella's arm. 

"She's huge," Sonny stated, as Isabella cried in both happiness and relief. "Holy shit, babe!"

"She's beautiful,' Isabella sniffed, as Evelina wailed in her arms. "So beautiful!" 

Cutting the cord, Sonny moved up to Isabella's side, while Doctor Brown and the nurses prepared for the placenta and taking down Evelina's stats. Now, covered in a blanket, Evelina looked a little more human, now that the blood was wiped from her face and head. 

"Hi Lina," Sonny cooed, reaching out touch her little hand. "Look at ya, baby girl! You're so big and beautiful!" 

"I'm so glad it's over," Isabella said, as they both stared down at their baby girl. "So, so glad." 

Sonny kissed her cheek, "Me too," he admitted, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "God, we make beautiful babies." 

Isabella turned to him and nodded, "We sure do," she said quietly, smiling at him. "I love you." 

"I love you too," Sonny grinned, kissing her full on the lips. "And I love you too, Evelina! Just wait until Carina sees ya!" 

.................

Fin whistled as he held his new niece- goddaughter as of that moment- in his arms. "Ten pounds, eight ounces?" he asked, looking between the couple. "And you didn't kill this one yet?" 

Sonny rolled his eyes, as Isabella giggled. "Nah," she shook her head. "Once I saw her and held her, it was worth it. Sure, that shit was painful, but... she's worth it in the end." 

"Well, she's absolutely gorgeous," Liv sighed, as she leaned over to look at the sleeping newborn. "And I am so honored to be this little one's godmother." 

"Man, she's gonna be so spoiled," Sonny chuckled, as Carina crawled up to lay next to Isabella. "Are you sure it's a good idea to make them the godparents?" 

Isabella scowled at him, "I'm sure we'll have another one, some day down the line, in where we can pick one of your sisters to be the godmother." 

He winced, "Nah, Bella's enough," he admitted, which made Fin chuckle. "Theresa and Gina, as much as I love them, aren't really.. godmother material." 

"If only they were here to hear that," Olivia murmured, as Fin handed Evelina over to her. "Did Noelle call?" 

"Yeah, we face timed her," Isabella yawned. "She's so upset that she can't come out, but Sonny promised to arrest her if she stepped foot on the floor." 

"I did not," Sonny rolled his eyes, as Isabella snorted. "Once the doctor deems her cleared, she can come to the apartment to see Lina." 

Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, Fin looked to Carina. "How do you like bein' a big sister, Carina?" he asked, as the two year old yawned. "Isn't Lina a cute baby?" 

"No like her," Carina shrugged, as she cuddled up against Isabella. "Take baby back, Mommy. No like her." 

"Sorry, baby girl," Isabella yawned. "We can't take her back." 

Carina pouted, "Why?" she asked, as Isabella ran her fingers through her hair. 

The new mother sighed, "Because Mommy is not shoving her back up where she came out of," she sighed, which made Olivia and Fin snort. "Daddy'll say the same thing too."

"Sorry kiddo," Sonny sighed, as Carina turned her pout to him. "Lina's here to stay." 

"Noooo!" 

He chuckled, "You'll get used to her in due time," he insisted. "Right now, she can't do much. But when she's older? God, you two are gonna be the best of friends." 

Fin snorted, "Or mortal enemies," he muttered, which Sonny glared at him for. 

"Amanda said she'd either stop by tonight or tomorrow morning," Olivia announced, changing the subject. "Rafael sends his congratulations and apologies for not stopping by. He was in court which ran late, but said he'd call later." 

"Joey is coming tomorrow with Daddy," Isabella yawned again. "And I think Bella's gonna stop by with Tori and Tommy, along with Dominick." 

Sonny nodded, "My sisters might stop by tomorrow too," he said, rolling his eyes. "Hopefully, we'll be out of here the day after tomorrow."

Olivia nodded, "Well, I don't want to see you for another six weeks at least," she noted, as she stood up with Evelina in her arms. "I'm sure Iz will be ready to kick you out, by that point." 

"Let's see how much sleep I can get, " Isabella teased, as she took Evelina from her. 

"We're gonna head out and let you four rest," Fin said, standing to collect his coat. "We'll come out, once you're settled in at home." 

Saying their goodbyes, giving the girls and Isabella a kiss, Fin and Olivia made their way out of the hospital room; the door closing behind them with a soft click, leaving the family of four alone for the first time. 

"How about you two get some sleep," Sonny suggested, as both Carina and Isabella yawned. "Ma should be back soon and she can take Carina home.." 

"You sure?" Isabella asked. 

He nodded, "You gave birth to a ten pound meatball, Iz. Of course I'm sure," he chuckled, as he carefully took Evelina from her. "Close your eyes and rest with our other meatball. Before she loses her mind." 

Not wanting to give up the opportunity to sleep, Isabella wrapped her arm around Carina, and the two were out cold within seconds. Chuckling, Sonny made his way around the bed and over to the windows, where the first flakes began to fall. 

"Look at that, Lina," he whispered, amazed. "It's snowin'! It's your birthday and it's snowin' outside." 

Evelina cooed in her sleep, wrapped in her little cocoon of a blanket. Bringing her up to kiss her forehead, Sonny fixed the blanket and turned his attention back to the window.

"Happy birthday, Lina," he whispered. 


	46. one of those days.

Isabella closed the door behind her, leaning back against it with a deep sigh, reaching behind herself to twist the lock. After a few seconds, she pushed away from the door and dropped the keys onto the hall table. Her jacket went next, while her bag hit the floor with a thud. Between the bitter cold and rain, to the stress of work, Isabella had quite the day to end a horrible work week . And as the clock ticked the minutes and hours away, all she could think about was coming home and hiding in her bed for the next two days. 

"I think Mommy's home," Isabella heard, as she unzipped her boots; kicking the knee length boots to the side, as if they were the most offending thing to ever grace her. 

Looking up, Isabella spotted Sonny coming down the hall towards her. In his arms, Carina babbled in her baby talk, as he continued to talk to her. 

"Mommy's home!" he said, grinning at the baby. "And... oh no! Mommy looks beat, kiddo." 

Carina turned and squealed, holding out her little hand towards Isabella, chanting "Mama!" over and over again. Taking the seven month old from him, Isabella held her tightly to her chest, pressing kisses all over her face. 

"Hi, sweetheart," she said softly, as Carina gripped her shirt. "Mama missed you." 

She then stood on her toes and kissed Sonny. "And, I missed you too," she whispered, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Did you two have a good day?" 

"Ah, for the most part," Sonny shrugged. "Two big poopie diapers. Didn't want to drink her baba, or the bowl of applesauce.." 

Isabella sighed, "She's been lyin' in bed with me for the last half hour, watchin' the food network," Sonny shrugged, as Carina laid her head against Isabella's shoulder. "How was your day?" 

At that, she visibly wilted at the mention of work. And Sonny noticed right away, growing concerned. "Baby, you've been so upset all week," he noted. "What's goin' on? Is somethin' goin' on at work? Are you gettin' sick?" 

"I'm just..."Isabella trailed off, shrugging. "I don't know...." 

Sonny nodded, "How about, you go and change into somethin' comfortable?" he suggested, taking Carina back into his arms. "I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa and we'll cuddle in bed with stinky here." 

While the idea of hiding out in bed, with her two favorite people, sounded appealing, Isabella couldn't help but think of all the work she had to do that weekend. "I don't know..." she started, before Sonny shook his head. 

"You've been down all week, Iz. Go and pamper yourself for a bit," he urged. "Worry about work tomorrow." 

Giving in, Isabella made her way down the hall to their bedroom, while Sonny went into the kitchen with Carina. "Let's get Mommy a nice warm drink and a snack, Carina," he said, as Carina babbled. "She's gonna need all the comfort we can give her,  _topolina."_

_....................._

Propped up against the pillows, Isabella watched as Carina sat between her parents, squealing and giggling. Sonny chuckled, as he wiggled the plush octopus towards Carina, making kissy noises. 

"God, this kid could be entertained by the thing for  _hours,"_ Sonny mused. 

"Hmm," Isabella sighed, turning onto her side, slithering further under the blankets. "At least she has nothing to bring her down..." 

Sonny looked up at her and sighed, "What happened?" he asked, as Carina grabbed at the toy in his hand. "Start from the beginnin', Iz. From Monday, that is.." 

Isabella shrugged half-heartedly, "Just a lot of drama at work," she murmured, shifting her head against the pillows. "My assistant is useless and calls out at every chance she can get, but apparently that's  _my_ fault. I have a parent causing a shit storm, because my self and their daughter's therapist, recommended additional services for her severely autistic child.." 

"Do you want me to arrest the assistant?" Sonny asked. 

"For what? Being an irresponsible, twenty-something year old?" Isabella snorted. 

He shook his head, "Give me her name and I can search her entire record," he offered. "I'll arrest her for a parkin' ticket if I have to." 

She shook her head, "I called my union rep during my lunch break today. I have a meeting with her Monday after work, so Carina's gonna have to stay at the day-care a little later..." 

"I'm doin' an early shift Monday, so I should be out in time to get the baby," Sonny said. "Is.. is that all that's botherin' you? Work stuff?" 

"For the most part, yeah," she mumbled, looking down a the blankets. "I'm _exhausted._ My body hurts everywhere, Sonny. It hurts more now, than it did when I was pregnant..." 

Carina sneezed, startling herself and nearly toppling backwards, before Sonny reached out to catch her. "Easy, sweetheart," he chuckled, before turning his sights back to Isabella. "Do you think you're gettin' sick?" 

Isabella shrugged, "I don't know," she admitted. "I'm just tired of working at that school. Tired of the bullshit..." 

He nodded, "And I feel like I'm bringing home all my work, when I should be spending my free time with you and Carina," she continued. "And if I don't have something to do on the weekends, I sleep." 

"Do you.. do you think you might have post-partum?" Sonny asked, gently. "Or depression from post-partum? I mean, you seemed fine after Carina was born, so maybe you didn't have it then..." 

"I think I just need a break from it," Isabella whispered. "Maybe from work if anything." 

"So take a few days off," Sonny shrugged. "I'll take a few days off too. See if Ma or Frenchie can take the baby for a week or a long weekend." 

"Where would we even go? It's the middle of January.." 

Sonny shrugged, "We could go down to the tropics..." he suggested. "How about.. Florida? Leave Friday morning and come back Sunday night? Or do a Sunday to Saturday trip and spend the week down at the beach.." 

Isabella smiled at the thought, "Do you think we  _could_ get away for a couple of days? A week even?" she asked, not wanting to get her hopes up. 

"Babe, part of my job is makin' sure  _you're_ alright," he pointed out. "How can I sit by and watch you fall apart? That's not good for you, or for us. Hell, even Carina. She's still a baby, but she's startin' to notice things..." 

They both looked at Carina, who beamed at them, moving to crawl towards Isabella. "Mama!" 

Scooping her up, Isabella wrapped her arms around the baby, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'll look online and see what's available," Sonny continued. "Let's plan for late next month or early March." 

"Okay," Isabella agreed, as Carina yawned. "I think someone's ready for a nap." 

"Thank Christ," Sonny snorted, as Isabella covered the infant with the blankets. "Fought with me for a good twenty minutes, before I brought her in here. Kid knows how to play the game, battin' her eyelashes and poutin'." 

Isabella snickered, as she scooted further down on the bed. "Are you gonna stay with us?" she asked, as Sonny got up from the bed. 

He nodded, collecting the empty mug and plate from the night stand. "Lemme just put these in the sink and adjust the heat," he said, starting for the door. "I'll be right back." 

..................

When Isabella woke later, it was a quarter to nine and Sonny was sitting up in bed with his tablet. 

"Whattya doin'?" she mumbled, patting the space between them. "Where's the baby?" 

"In her crib, snorin' and fartin'," Sonny said, keeping his eyes on the screen. "I found a place in Fort Lauderdale for the last week of February, for a decent price. The flights are pretty cheap too, considering it's a month away.." 

She nodded, "Whatever looks good, Sonny," she mumbled, rolling onto her belly. "Don't care where we go. As long as it's sunny and your sunny and everything's sunny." 

Sonny snickered, "Go back to sleep," he said, laying his hand on her back. "I'll show you my research tomorrow morning." 

"Mmhmm, sounds sunny, Sonny,' Isabella sighed, burying her face into the pillow under her head. 

"Thank you, I thought so myself," Sonny teased, as she fell back asleep.

That night, Isabella slept peacefully. Dreaming of nothing but sunshine and sandy beaches, all while relaxing with her Sonny. 


	47. sunshine state of mind

"So, what do you wanna do first?" Sonny asked, as he dropped the duffle bag to the floor. "It's only nine-thirty..." 

Isabella turned to face him, "Well, how about a nap?" she shrugged, watching as he moved to close the door and lock it. "I mean, we've been up since three this morning, between getting to the airport and checking in for our flight. Didn't get a good nap in on the plane...." 

"Let's nap," Sonny agreed. "We're here for a week, Iz. This is our time to be lazy and  _rest."_

Managing to get the time off from work, they booked the week long trip to Fort Lauderdale without hesitation; With Noelle and Antonio heading to California for a friends wedding, little Carina would be spending time with Dominick and Angela in Staten Island. After packing enough clothes, diapers and wipes to get through the week long stay, the couple took the baby out the day before their departure. Thinking it would be her, having a hard time being away from the baby, Isabella was slightly surprised that it was Sonny. And while the little girl had no clue, that her parents were about to leave her for a week, Sonny felt guilty the moment they stepped into his parents house 

 _"Daddy will bring you a present from Florida,"_ Sonny promised, as he smothered the eight month old's face with kisses. " _I'll bring you lots of presents, topolina. And we'll call you every night!"_

 _"Sonny, she'll be fine!"_  Angela insisted.  _"We got the phone that does the video calls! We still have her crib in ya old bedroom, along with your old teddy bear and blankie!"_

Bringing the bags into the bedroom, which was situated at the back of the beach rental, Isabella gasped at the sight before her. 

"That bed looks... amazing," she said in awe, as Sonny moved the bags near the closet. "Oh god, I can't wait to get in it." 

He snorted, "Let's shower first and then get into bed," he said, taking her by the hand. "I need to wash the airplane smell off me." 

Agreeing, they both showered together, before drying off with the supplied fresh towels. Forgoing clothes, they both climbed between the clean and cool sheets, and fell asleep quickly. 

..............

After spending their first day, napping, heading into town to buy groceries and lazing about in bed, they spend their second day at the beach. A welcome relief, considering it was unusually cold in New York, for March. After spending enough time, roasting in the sun, they went back to the house and took a dip in the pool. 

"Next time, we need to bring Carina with us," Isabella sighed, as they laid out in the lounge chairs. "She would love this. The beach and the pool..." 

"Hmm, maybe we could take her to Disney World," Sonny shrugged. "She'll have to be a bit older, of course. Especially if we wanna go on all the thrill rides." 

Isabella nodded, "I hope she's being good for Mom and Dad," she sighed, stretching her legs. "I'm surprised at how calm she was, when we left her there." 

Sonny hummed, "Do ya think she misses us?" he asked, turning to look at her. "I mean.. she was all smiles when we walked out the door. It's like.. she didn't even  _care_ that we were leavin' her at my parents house for a week." 

"I bet we miss her more than she misses us," Isabella snorted, shaking her head. "She's living the life right now, baby. You know your Mother is going to spoil her with a doll here and there, when she takes her to the store. And with Dad, with the hockey and sneaking extra baby cookies? Carina might not even want to come home at the end of the week.." 

"She better come home with us," Sonny scoffed, sitting up to grab his towel. "I'm gonna head inside and put somethin' together for lunch. Whataya in the mood for?" 

She shrugged, "Whatever you want," she said, adjusting the sunglasses on her face. "I'm gonna hang out here for a little bit. Maybe after we eat, we can shower and go for a walk in the town? Do a little window shopping and see the sights?" 

Sonny leaned down and smirked, "Anythin' for you, princess," he teased, dropping a kiss against her lips. "Don't lay out here  _too_ long, Iz. Otherwise, I'll be brinin' home a lobster!" 

.................

"It's rained for more than an hour," Sonny noted, as they sat on the sofa. "Is this a hurricane?" 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "It's  _March,_ Sonny," she reminded him. "Hurricane season won't start for another three months. Its' Florida and it rains almost every single day down here. Sometimes for an hour, other times it's longer." 

He huffed, "And what's the big deal if it's raining?" she continued, frowning. "It's nine in the morning on a Monday and neither of us have work." 

"Yeah, and?" he asked. 

She rolled her eyes, "Let's go have sex," she said, patting his knee, as she moved to stand up. "C'mon. I wanna have sex, so let's go have sex." 

"We had sex last night and early this mornin'," Sonny reminded her, as she tugged on his hand. "Iz.." 

"If you do not get up, get naked and in that bed, within the next five seconds, there will be  _zero_ sexual activity for a  _long_ time," Isabella said, putting her hands on her hips. "I mean it, Dominick. Now, get up and get naked!" 

Grumbling, Sonny stood up from the sofa, before reaching out and grabbing Isabella around the waist. With a shriek, Isabella was up and over his shoulder, laughing out in surprise. "Sonny!" she cried, as he carried her into the bedroom. "You need to be careful! One day, you're going to pull my arm out of it's socket!" 

He chuckled, "I' always careful with ya, sweetheart," he said, tossing her onto the bed. "Now, you said somethin' about gettin' naked?" 

..............

Beach trips, walks in town and romantic dinners for two, Sonny and Isabella could admit that they were dreading their return home. It wasn't that they didn't want to be with their daughter, who was in fact the light of their lives. But after nine months of preparing for a baby, so soon after their wedding, followed by eight months of childcare, they had little time to just be "Sonny and Isabella." 

"Again with the pictures?" Sonny teased, as Isabella posted a photo of the two of them; it had been tagged with Sonny's Instagram name, followed by a cutesty caption.  _Seeing the Sunshine State with my love._

"I just want everyone to see how happy we are," she pouted, showing him the final product. "And to seethe in jealousy, as we're here in the sunshine and they're dealing with snow flurries." 

He snorted, "Almost makes you wanna move, huh?" he asked, as they sat on the boardwalk. "We could move down here, after I retire from the law enforcement. Maybe when the kids are in college..." 

She shrugged, "I can't see us living here all year round," she admitted. "New York is home, even though it's so expensive. And I would miss seeing the change in seasons, Sonny. Especially going from summer to fall..." 

"That's true," he nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "All those sexy boots, with the tight jeans...." he chuckled, as Isabella nudged him with her elbow. "But on the plus side, I'd get to see you walk around in short shorts and your bikini tops..." 

"Yeah, that'll never happen," Isabella rolled her eyes. "Especially if we're having a bunch of kids between now and when we decide that enough is enough." 

They settled back against the bench, watching the crowds of locals and tourists, stopping and going along the shops. A quick drive down to Hollywood, Florida, they parked the car and took the long walk down the local boardwalk; after two days of rain showers and spending their time in bed, it was a relief to be outside. 

"We've got one more day after this, before we go home," Sonny sighed. "Back to reality." 

"Back to diaper duty and work," Isabella nodded, moving to rest her head against his shoulder. "To sharing our bed with an infant, who rather play at three in the morning..." 

He chuckled weakly, shaking his head. "I miss her, but...  _god..."_

Isabella nodded in agreement, "I know," she said. "I haven't slept this good since.. Italy. And that's including all the traveling and sex we had, which was a lot." 

"We'll just have to send her to her grandparents," Sonny sighed, running his fingers through his hair; gel free for the first time in weeks, since this was a vacation and not work. "Or let her cry in the crib at night. We can't keep runnin' to her, every single time she cries. Keep doin' it and we'll wake up one day, with a sixteen year old in bed between us." 

"It'll get better," Isabella said, patting his knee.

She looked up at him and smiled, which Sonny returned, before leaning down to kiss her. "Wanna walk a lil' more?" he asked, his fingers tracing circles against her bare shoulder. "We could stop and get somethin' to eat, before headin' back to the house. Maybe take a dip in the pool..." 

Isabella giggled, "Wanna swim naked?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

"At the rate we're goin'," Sonny started, as they both stood up from the bench. "We'll be havin' another baby by the end of the year..." 

.............

"Is that my lil' girl?" Sonny asked, spotting the infant in the living room. "Is that my lil' Carina?" 

The baby stared at him for a second, before letting out a shriek; the green block went flying one way, as she moved to her hands and knees, crawling as quickly as possible towards Sonny. Meeting her halfway, Sonny scooped her up, chuckling as she squealed, before bring her down to kiss her cheeks. 

"Would ya look at that," Angela shook her head, smiling. "We kept tellin' her that you two were comin' home, all day." 

"Was she a good girl for you two?" Isabella asked, looking between her in-laws. 

Dominick nodded, "She was a good lil' girl," he confirmed. "We took her grocery shoppin' and to the stores." 

His wife nodded, "We took a lil' trip to the library and she was so good," she smiled. "Got a few picture books and those lil' baby videos..." 

"Thank god," Isabella sighed in relief. "We were worried, to be honest. Our first time being away for more than a day or two, from her..." 

"Ah, she was great," her father-in-law insisted. "Even after the video calls, she didn't fuss as much as we thought. A few "Dada? Mama?" here and there, but then she was stuffin' her face with baby cookies and playin' with her toys." 

Carina squealed, as Sonny tickled her belly; her little hands grasping his face. "Dada!" she giggled, as Sonny laughed with her. "Dada!" 

Sonny nodded, "Dada came home," he said, as he made his way over to his wife and parents. "So did Mama." 

"Mama!!!" 

"Hi, my sweet baby!" Isabella cooed, as Sonny handed her over. "Look at you! Did you have fun with Nonno and Nonna this week?" 

Cuddling with Isabella, Carina tucked her face into her shirt, while her little legs kicked about. "Awwww," Angela cooed. "She missed ya's so much." 

Dominick chuckled, "It'll be a while before you two can go away again," he teased, as Isabella kissed the infant's head. "Let alone sleep in a bed without her between the two of ya's." 

"We barely sleep in our bed without her!" Sonny snorted, as Carina babbled at Isabella. 

As Angela went to check on dinner, Dominick followed, promising to bring back a drink for the couple. "I'll throw a bottle on for Carina!" he called out, as the couple moved to sit on the sofa with her. 

"She looks bigger," Isabella marveled, as Carina crawled between the two of them. "Are you sure it was a week?" 

"It has been," Sonny snorted, taking the baby in his arms. "She's been livin' the dream, Iz. God only knows what my parents fed her and how many cookies they slipped her.." 

The baby giggled, drooling onto her hand, as Sonny blew raspberries against her belly. "Well, that all changes now," Isabella sighed. "Otherwise, it'll be explosive diapers left and right." 

Sonny made a face, which made Carina squeal. "I guess we'll have to send her daycare teachers a nice present for Easter, huh?" he said, as Angela called them in for dinner. "Let's go, poopie pants. Dinner and a nice bubble bath. Mommy and Daddy are tired after a long day of travel.." 

"And we know how much you want to sleep with us tonight," Isabella teased. 

Vacation was over. But god, was it good to be home. 


	48. too close to home

_Just a heads up, since your man is on the way home: had a rough case today, involving three girls. All around the same age as Carina, Lina and Sienna. He took it pretty hard on the scene and back at the precinct._

Isabella read the text twice, before texting Fin back her thanks, before setting the phone down. It was a quarter to seven and the girls had been fed, bathed and dressed for bed. It was a common routine, on the nights that Sonny worked past dinnertime. Luckily, being that she was six months old, Sienna was snuggled up in her crib and asleep already; a fresh bottle, two lullabies and a session in the rocking chair, lulled the little girl to sleep. 

Setting the empty laundry basket down, Isabella quickly finished putting the rest of the laundry away; socks, underwear, a few of Sonny's t-shirts. Once everything was put away, Isabella brought the basket downstairs and into the laundry room, checking on the the washer and dryer, before heading out. 

The kitchen had been cleaned, with the dishwasher running. Sorting through the mail, Isabella heard the car pull into the driveway, before the engine cut out. Pausing, she stood still, listening to the keys turning in the locks. 

"I'm home!" Sonny called out, as the keys clanged against the glass dish near the door. 

"In here!" Isabella called out, turning her attention back to the junk mail in her hands. 

After the front door was shut and locked behind him, Sonny made his way through the living room and across the hallway, before stepping into the dinning room. 

"Hey," she said, putting a small smile on her face. "How was w-" 

Isabella was cut off, as Sonny pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly to his chest. Even with the heads up from Fin, she was still startled by it. Placing her hands on his back, Isabella hugged him back. 

"What's wrong?" she asked gently, as he tucked his face into her neck. 

" _Horrible_ day," Sonny murmured, as Isabella's hands moved up and down underneath his suit jacket. "Are the girls awake?" 

Isabella nodded, "Carina and Lina are in their room, playing. Siena's already asleep..." 

Nodding, Sonny untangled himself from her embrace, dropping a quick kiss to her lips. "I'm gonna go and check on them," he said, turning to head out of the dining room. 

Once his footsteps could be heard on the staircase, Isabella leaned against the table and sighed. It was days like this one, that made Isabella wonder how much more Sonny could take, doing this job. 

...........

Ten minutes later, Isabella found Sonny sitting on the floor with Carina and Evelina, listening intently to their day. 

"Mommy maked noodles and cheese," Carina giggled, as she and Evelina climbed all over Sonny's lap. "And we eats cookies too!" 

"Wow!" Sonny gasped, reaching up to brush her hair away from her face. "Did you leave any mac and cheese for me?" 

She nodded, "Mommy puts in a pink bowl!" she confirmed. "You eats the noodles and cheese!" 

Evelina squealed, clapping her hands. "And did you two have a good day at school?" Sonny asked, looking between them. 

"I poopie in the potty!" Evelina giggled. 

Watching them for a while longer, Sonny spotted her standing in the doorway, as the girls giggled about. "How about we get ready for bed?" Sonny asked the girls. "I can tuck you two in and read a story tonight!" 

Overjoyed with the idea, Carina and Evelina scrambled to their feet, waiting for Sonny to do the same. Leading both girls over to their beds, Sonny helped them up and tucked them in, before grabbing a book off their bookcase. By the time he was finished, both girls were nodding off to dreamland. 

"I love you two," Sonny said, as he kissed them both goodnight. "So much." 

"Love you too, Daddy," Carina yawned, as she pulled her stuffed unicorn closer to her chest. 

Evelina rolled onto her belly, as Sonny pulled her Belle comforter up to her shoulders. "Lub you" she mumbled, shoving her thumb into her mouth. 

Checking the windows and closing the blinds and curtains, Sonny waited until the nightlight kicked on, before stepping out into the hallway. 

"Siena's still asleep," Isabella said softly, as Sonny pulled the door halfway shut behind him. "I'll be in the bedroom, if you wanna talk after..." 

"Okay," Sonny nodded, as he moved to the room across the hall. "I'll be there soon." 

As she made her way down the hall to their bedroom, Sonny pushed the door to Siena's nursery open and stepped inside quietly. The mobile above the crib was still and silent, though the sound machine on the dresser still whirled on; the sound of crickets and nature filling the room. In her crib, Siena slept deeply; her little snores filling the crib. 

Leaning his elbows against the railing, Sonny watched quietly as the baby slept. Siena was just like her Mother in that aspect, sleeping through almost anything; a trait that Sonny envied, and also shared with Evelina and Carina. Even in sleep, Siena looked so innocent. So innocent that it made Sonny wonder how anyone could take advantage of that innocence. Almost ten years working sex crimes, it never got any easier for him. Especially when he and Isabella started their family, bringing three beautiful little girls into the world. 

Watching Siena for a while longer, Sonny reached down and carefully adjusted the blanket; gently, he traced the plumpness of her cheek with his finger, before pushing away from the crib quietly. Checking the windows and closing the blinds and curtains, like he did in Carina and Evelina's room, Sonny made his way to the door. Taking one last look towards the crib and the little girl who slept within, Sonny pulled the door halfway shut behind him. 

................

Taking the hottest shower he could manage, Sonny scrubbed away the day's worth of work; the stress, the sadness and the disgust, all down the drain. Toweling off and dressing for bed, Sonny stepped out of the steamy bathroom and into the bedroom. With the beside lamp on, Isabella was setting a steaming cup of tea on his night stand. 

"Chamomile and a splash of bourbon," she said, as he made his way over to her. "It'll help you sleep and calm your nerves a bit. Or, at least, I hope it will." 

"Thank you," Sonny nodded, as she climbed onto the bed, moving to her side. 

Isabella watched as Sonny sat down on the bed, letting out a tired grunt, before dropping his head down. Reaching out, Isabella placed her hands on both his shoulders, rubbing the knots out of the strained muscles. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked gently. 

Sonny sighed again, "Three girls," he started. 'All around the same age as ours, except the baby as a few weeks old.." 

Listening quietly, as her hands moved, Isabella waited for Sonny to continue. "All three were sexually abused and murdered," he continued, the words spilling out of him. "Neighbor found the baby, thrown in the trash between the two brownstones. Someone just threw that lil baby like she was trash..." 

"Oh, Sonny," Isabella said quietly, as she wrapped her arms around him. "Shhh.." 

"And the- the other two...." he started, letting out a sob. "Found 'em in their beds. It's like they were just sleepin' peacefully, as if nothin' happened.." 

Isabella shuddered at the image in her head, only this time she saw  _their_ girls; Siena in a pile of trash. Carina and Evelina tucked into their beds, lifeless and cold to the touch. Turning him around, Isabella placed both hands on his face. 

"All I thought about was them..." Sonny hiccuped, as she brushed his tears away. "All I  _saw_ was our girls, Iz. H-how? How could anyone..." 

"I don't know, baby," she said sadly, shaking her head. "I don't know. But what I do know, is that our girls are  _safe._ And that neither of us would let anyone or anything hurt them. That we'd give our own lives or kill, just to keep them safe." 

The clock on the nightstand ticked, as they both sat on the bed, wrapped up in each others arms. "Come on," Isabella said softly, after a few minutes. "Drink your tea.." 

Doing what was asked, Sonny nearly downed the entire cup of tea, before Isabella took it from him. Setting it back on the nightstand, Isabella helped him lay down; covering him with the blankets. 

"Do you need to go in tomorrow?" she asked, leaning over him. 

"Yeah," Sonny cleared his throat. "Yeah.. we got a long day ahead of us.." 

Isabella nodded and moved to set the alarm, before reaching up to turn the lamp off. Before she too laid back down, Isabella stopped and placed her hand against his forehead. "I love you," she whispered, her thumb brushing against his flushed skin gently. 

"I love ya too." 

That night, Sonny tossed and turned, as the bourbon rushed through his veins. By the time the alarm went off, at a quarter to six, he had long given up on sleep. 

...............

It didn't take long to solve the case, much to everyone's relief. Every night went the same way; Sonny coming home after dinner, cuddling with the girls and downing bourbon laced tea before bedtime. 

"Barba's not settlin' for anythin'," Sonny said, as he and Isabella got ready for bed that night. "Those two poor excuses for parents, are lookin' at life." 

"Which they will get," Isabella nodded in agreement. "And those three girls will rest easy, now that they'll be off the streets." 

Drug addicted parents with a father who lusted after his young daughters, was a media frenzy for Manhattan. Every newspaper had been covered with the images of the three little girls, along with the mugshots of their parents; the two people who brought them into the world, then violently took them out of it. Isabella for one, couldn't wait for the day when she didn't have to see them in passing. 

"Trial starts Monday," he continued, as they pulled the blankets down on the bed. "I gotta head to the office tomorrow mornin', just to review my testimony with Barba. Shouldn't take more than an hour, maybe two." 

"We'll be here when you get back, Isabella said, setting her engagement ring down on the jewelry dish. "Didn't plan on doin' much tomorrow anyways, Sonny. Maybe grocery shopping, if the girls were up to it." 

He nodded, "When I come back, we can go," he promised, leaning over to kiss her. 

Settling down for the night, Isabella curled up on her side to face him, "Good, because I hate shopping with the three of them," she murmured. "I always end up paying for broken jars and overpriced toys." 

"Well, you could always tell the cashier to  _not_ scan the toys," Sonny said, letting out a tired laugh. 

"And face the meltdowns?" she snorted. "No thank you." 

They fell into an easy silence, before Sonny spoke again. "Liv suggested that I see Lindstrom," he said quietly. "With this case bein..." 

Isabella wiggled closer to him, "Are you going to?" she asked. 

"I think so," Sonny nodded, turning to look at her. "This one hit me pretty bad, Iz. I mean, I've had cases that shook me up a bit in the past. But this one... this one really got to me." 

"Then go see him," Isabella said, placing her hand on his arm. "It doesn't hurt to seek help, Sonny." 

He nodded, "I know." 

Moving over, Isabella rested her head against his chest, sighing deeply. "Once the trial is over, maybe you could take a few days off," she suggested. "You've been working non-stop since your two week paternity leave in November. I'm sure you could get away with a few days, even if it's for a long weekend at home with us." 

"I'll talk to Liv on Monday and see what I can do," Sonny promised, kissing her forehead. "Let's go to sleep. It's been a long day and I, for one, want to put it behind me." 

"Alright," Isabella said, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I love you." 

Sonny gave her hip a squeeze, "I love you too, baby," he murmured, letting the exhaustion take over. 

That night, without the help of a cup of spiked tea, knowing that his daughters were sound asleep and safe in their rooms, Sonny fell asleep peacefully. 


	49. growing pains

Sonny heard the whimpering from the bedroom, as he changed out of his soiled shirt; Theodore had promptly upchucked the three ounces of breast milk, after being burped. Quickly, Sonny tugged on the fresh shirt and made his way out into the hallway, taking three long steps to the bathroom. 

Knocking on the door, the whimpering stopped. "Who is it?" Carina called out, sniffling harshly. 

"Daddy," Sonny said, leaning against the doorframe. "What's wrong,  _topolina?_ Are ya sick?" 

"Y-yeah," she hiccuped. 

He sighed, "Tummy hurtin' again?" he asked. "Did Mommy give you anythin', before she went with Lina and Siena to dance class?" 

"N-no." 

"Alright, I'll go see what we have in our bathroom," Sonny said, as he heard movement from behind the door. "Or do you want me to call Mommy and have her come home?" 

There was a moment of silence, before the lock clicked. Pulling the door open, the pale and tear stained face of his nine and a half year old, peered out. 

"Sweetheart," Sonny gasped, going into cop mode. "What's wrong?" 

Carina's bottom lip trembled, as her eyes filled with fresh tears. "It's red," she mumbled, looking down at the floor. 

He frowned, "Red?" he asked. "What's red?" 

"The.. the toilet bowl," Carina sniffled, letting out a sob. "And the paper. Daddy! Am I gonna die?!" 

Suddenly, the last twenty four hours, came back and hit him; the stomach pains, mood swings and shopping for Carina's first training bra. This wasn't a simple stomachache. It was her period. 

"No,  _topolina,"_ Sonny shook his head. "You're not dyin'." 

Carina sobbed, "Come on," Sonny nodded. "I'll show you what you need, okay? Unless you want me to call Mommy?" 

"Help me!" she cried, pulling the door open. "I don't know what to do, Daddy!" 

Stepping into the bathroom, Sonny moved over to the bathtub and turned the water on. "Now, you're not dyin'," he started, putting the stopper into the drain. "What you're experiencin' right now is your period." 

The girl wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, "What's that?" she asked, as Sonny dumped some bath bubbles into the water. 

"Well," Sonny sighed. "Every month, you bleed a bit. It sounds scary and your first time is scary. But, it's normal." 

"Does Mommy get it?" 

He nodded, "Mommy gets her period," he confirmed. "The only time she didn't get it, is when you, your sisters and your brother were in her belly.." 

Carina blinked and Sonny sighed, realizing that this was a conversation that Isabella would have to further explain. Especially the biological details, since Sonny wasn't fully sure what was true and what was from WebMD. 

"I'm gonna get you some clean clothes and make you somethin' totally greasy," he promised, moving over to her. "I may not know much about these things, but I do know that hot bubble baths, greasy comfort food and bein' lazy are just a few things to make ya feel better. Okay?" 

"Kay," Carina sniffled. "Are you gonna tell Mommy?" 

Sonny nodded, "Mommy needs to know, honey," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "But, you don't have to be scared to tell her! You can always come to us, Carina. For no matter what. And if you're uncomfortable comin' to us, you can always go to Zia Olivia and Zia Amanda with questions." 

Seeing some relief on the girl's face, Sonny kissed her forehead. "Go on and take a bath," he said, brushing her hair back. "When you're done, I'll show you what Mommy has under the sink. When she comes home, we'll talk more about it." 

Leaving Carina to undress and have some time alone, Sonny closed the bathroom door behind him. Leaning back against it, Sonny closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. His little girl was not so little anymore. 

............

After wolfing down a plate of microwave nachos, Isabella arrived home with Lina and Siena. Sending the girls upstairs to their rooms, Sonny pulled his wife to the side and quickly explained the situation to her. 

"She's spooked, Iz," he said, when Isabella gasped. "I ran her a bath, made her nachos and showed her how to put a pad on her underwear. But... the other stuff. The tampons and the biological stuff..." 

Taking their eldest into their bedroom, Isabella went through the basics of Carina's first period and what she would experience for a good portion of her life. And while Carina was left even more confused and upset, Isabella constantly reassured her that death wasn't imminent and that she would survive. 

"How's she doin'?" Sonny asked, as they stood right outside their bedroom. 

"She's in a bit of shock," Isabella shrugged, reaching out to take Ellie from him. "I feel so bad, Sonny. Her first period and I wasn't here to help her..." 

He nodded, "It's alright thought, Iz. I was here and I did what I normally do for you," he said. "Bubble bath, comfort food and a small dose of children's Motrin." 

Isabella nodded, "I'll take her to the store tomorrow to pick out pads," she sighed. "And I'll call the pediatrician to let her know. I don't know if she'll have to see a gynecologist, Sonny. I got my period when I was thirteen and Maman dragged me to see hers." 

"Let's see how the first few months go," Sonny shrugged. "Who knows how bad her periods are gonna be, ya know? I'm just concerned that she got it now and she's only nine and a half." 

"Some girls get it earlier than that," she pointed out. "I figured we'd have another three or four years, before having the puberty talk. But she's already wearing training bras. I can't even being to imagine what she's gonna look like, once she hits her tenth birthday." 

Ellie yawned, dropping her head against Isabella's shoulder. "Let her rest for a bit," Sonny said, nodding towards the bedroom. "I'll go start dinner and I'll help with bath time for our other monsters." 

She nodded, "Theo?" 

"He's sleepin'," Sonny said, starting for the stairs. "Kid barfed up his boobie milkshake, so I'm sure he's sleepin' soundly now." 

....................

Sonny watched as Carina lounged on the bed, a heating pad nestled along her belly; on the television, Moana played with the volume at a decent level. After putting Siena, Lina and Ellie down for bed, Isabella went to Theo, changing and feeding the four month old before bed. 

"How do you feel?" Sonny asked, moving to lay down next to the nine and a half year old. "Is this old thing workin'?" 

"Tired," Carina pouted, as Sonny adjusted the settings. 

He nodded, "Yeah, Mommy gets like that too," he sighed, as Carina yawned. "It's alright though. You need ya rest and it's the weekend, so we don't have to do anythin' crazy." 

The little girl nodded, looking sad. "What's wrong,  _topolina?"_ Sonny asked, reaching out to brush his hand across her forehead gently. 

"Mommy says that I'm not a baby anymore," she shrugged, playing with the hem of her shirt. "I don't wanna be a big girl, Daddy. I wanna be a baby forever." 

"Well, technically.. you are a big girl now," Sonny shrugged, which distressed Carina. "But, you're always gonna be my baby. You were my first baby, Carina. And like I tell ya all the time, no matter how old ya get, you're still my baby." 

Sonny wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to his side. "Tomorrow, Mommy will take you to the store to pick out your  _own_ pads," he said. "And, I'll make extra chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. I'll even add a big ol' glass of chocolate milk, though, Mommy will frown heavily upon it." 

Carina giggled for the first time since that afternoon, "It's not fun, growin' up and all," he sighed. "But, you'll get used to it." 

"Mommy let me eat chocolate," Carina whispered, as if it was the biggest secret to tell. "From her hidden candy bag." 

"She did?!" he gasped, feigning shock. "Mommy  _never_ gave me candy form her hidden candy bag!" 

"That's cuz you're not a girl, Daddy," she shook her head. "Boys don't get periods, do they?" 

He shook his head, "Nah, we don't get them," he sighed, shrugged. "We weren't made to have periods, Carina." 

She sighed, before breaking out into a long and drawn out yawn, snuggling her face into Isabella's pillow. Turning the heating pad off, Sonny tossed it off the bed, before pulling the quilt up.

"Rest your eyes for a bit," he said, as Carina wiggled under the blanket. "I'll move ya to your room in a little while, once your sister falls asleep." 

....................

The next morning, after a chocolatey rich breakfast, Isabella took Carina down to the drugstore to get her own set of pads and more children's Motrin. On their return, Carina changed back into her pajamas and camped out in her room, while her parents tended to her younger siblings and the house chores. When nap time came, Carina was up and wandering around the house. 

"What are you up to?" Sonny asked, as she came into the kitchen. "I figured you'd be sleepin'." 

"Can I have cookies?" Carina asked. "I'm hungry." 

Snorting, Sonny moved to the cabinet and brought down the package of cookies, handing them over to her. "Don't eat them all," Sonny warned, as she took the package from him. "Otherwise, you'll have three angry sisters after you." 

"Can we watch a movie?" 

Glancing at the time, Sonny shrugged and dropped the pen on the counter. "I don't see why not," he said. "Mommy's probably sleepin' upstairs, when she was gonna do the laundry again." 

Carina giggled, "So, let's go watch a movie," Sonny concluded, grabbing two bottles of water out of the refrigerator. "And we'll need more snacks! Chips!" 

Heading into the living room with their bounty of snacks, Sonny closed the curtains and fixed up the couch pillows and blankets for the two of them. Finding something to watch on Netflix, they feasted on chocolate chip cookies and potato chips, before curling up under the heavy blanket. By the time Isabella came down from her bath, Carina was out cold and snoring against Sonny. 

"Poor kid stuffed her face and passed out,"Sonny whispered, as Isabella checked on her. "Hopefully, she'll be alright come Monday." 

"Ah, if anything, I'll keep her home for Monday," Isabella said quietly. "It's only a three day work week for us teachers, since we're approaching Thanksgiving." 

Sonny hummed, "Are the kids asleep still? Ellie and Theo?" he asked. "They were up really early this mornin'..." 

Isabella nodded, "All four of them are out," she insisted. "Do you want me to take her upstairs?" 

"Nah," Sonny shook his head, looking down at his eldest; not so much a baby anymore. "Leave her be, Iz." 

"Alright," she nodded, moving to kiss his cheek. "I'll go put something together for dinner and start the next load of laundry. Carina picked out double chocolate ice cream for dessert, so I hope you two didn't spoil your appetites." 

"You know me, Iz. I could eat anythin' and everythin'," he chuckled, as she stood up from the arm of the sofa. "Let me know if ya need help." 

As she disappeared into the kitchen, Sonny turned his attention back to the movie; Carina stirred in her sleep, before burying her face into his shirt. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders a bit tighter, Sonny dropped a kiss to the top of her head and relaxed.

 


	50. Siena Grace Carisi

"I am so glad this is the last one," Isabella yawned, as Sonny held the newborn in his arms. "It doesn't get any easier, birthing out a human being. Even when they're the smallest.." 

Sonny chuckled, as the swaddled girl cooed. "Ah, but it's worth it in the end, right?" he asked, as the baby's fingers wrapped around his pointer. "I swear, Iz. We really made some beautiful lil' girls." 

Isabella gave him a sleepy smile, "Yeah, we did," she agreed, watching them. "What are we going to name her? Did you pick something out, since you betted on a girl this time." 

"Siena," he said, looking up at her for the first time in the last twenty minutes. "Siena Grace. After that lil town in Tuscany we went to. You know, where Carina was probably conceived...."

"Oh god," Isabella snorted, shifting under the blankets. "We can leave that part out, when she asks us why we named her Siena. She doesn't need to know about her older sister's conception..." 

He chuckled, walking over to the hospital bed. "Thank god she's here," he sighed deeply, watching as Siena slept. "Now Ma can stop harrassin' me about Thanksgivin'.." 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella watched as Sonny sat down next to her, carefully adjusting his hold on the baby. "Yes, because it's so important to figure out who's going to cook an entire meal for thirty plus people," she grumbled. "Meanwhile, I literally just gave birth to a baby. The stitching is still fresh down there, Sonny. So, Ma's gonna have to host this year, because I'm not rushing around to cook for everyone this year." 

"Nah, Frenchie and Ma are comin' to our house," he announced, as she shifted closer to watch Siena. "They're gonna cook. Bella and Tommy are comin' with Tori and lil' Frankie. Joey's comin' with some girl he's supposedly "datin'" or whatever it was ya Dad said. Gina might come with Amy and that guy she's seein'. Theresa's gonna be in Los Angles though for work..." 

"As long as I don't have to do a thing, they can come over," Isabella yawned. "Just leave me and Siena to sleep. Call us down when the food is finally ready." 

Sonny snorted as he checked his watch for the time, "Speaking of sleepin'," he started, turning to look at her. "You should get some. It's a quarter to one in the mornin', Iz. You've been up for twenty-four hours already, between labor and delivery..." 

She nodded, "Sleep," he insisted. "I'll watch Siena for a lil' bit and I'm sure the nurse will come by soon for her. I'm sure they're gonna wanna come and give her a lil rub down, fix her hair and all that, before the family comes for pictures." 

"Don't let them take her away," Isabella yawned, as Sonny dropped a kiss against her forehead "I wanna have her sleep in here with us." 

"I'll do my best with the Carisi charm," Sonny teased, getting up from the bed. "I'm gonna be right over here with the lil' meatball. If you need anythin', I'll call the nurse alright?" 

Nodding again, Isabella rearranged herself on the bed, before succumbing to the exhaustion from the day's events. 

....................

When they brought Siena home, two days later, the entire living room had been decorated for the event. The "welcome home!" banners and pink balloons, all welcoming their "baby girl", filled the room. 

Carina was instantly in love with her baby sister, squealing over her tiny features and "itty bitty" baby clothes. "She's  _sooooo_ tiny, Daddy!" she gasped, as Sonny held her in his arms. "She looks like my dollies!" 

At four, Carina was dedicated to her role as a big sister. Between Evelina and using her baby dolls, she nearly perfected the task of taking care of a small child. So, when Sonny and Isabella announced that she and Evelina would be big sisters to another baby, Carina was over the moon. Only three and a half at the time, she knew exactly what it meant. 

_Another baby like Lina!_

Evelina on the other hand, a few days away from turning two, had no idea what it meant. But, when she spotted little Siena sleeping in the car seat, the little girl looked at her parents with disgust. 

"No!" she shook her head, when Isabella introduced the toddler to her new sisters. "Yucky! No want!" 

"Oh dear," Amanda winced, as she brought out three juice boxes. "Jealously already?" 

Jesse, her almost six year old, frowned. "But.. she's so cute, Lee," she pouted, turning her blue eyes to her Mother. "Mama, why doesn't she like the baby?" 

"Ah, sometimes it takes time to adjust," Sonny shrugged. "Just like Harry and Leia had to adjust to Simba and Cupcake." 

"But, those are kitties, Uncle Sonny," Jesse said, her frown still etched on her face. "Mama, I'm confused." 

Setting Carina down, Sonny sent her off with Angela to find a snack in the kitchen, while Isabella took Siena out of the car seat. Picking Evelina up, Sonny carried her over to the stairs and sat down with her. 

"Hey," he said gently, tickling her belly lightly. "It's gonna be alright, Lina. You don't have to be jealous of your baby sister, because Mommy and I love you so, so much." 

"No! No, want!" Evelina scowled. 

Sighing, Sonny pressed a kiss to her cheek, "You're such a grumpy kid sometimes," he shook his head. "I know for a fact you got that from Mommy." 

As the happy grandparents and Amanda loitered in the living room, ooing and aahing over Siena, Sonny sat with his grumpy girl. "How about we see what's in the kitchen?" he suggested, as Evelina kicked her feet up and down slowly. "Maybe a cookie or a cupcake." 

Nodding, Sonny sighed as he stood up, shifting Evelina against his hip. "Takin' her to get a treat," he said, when Isabella shot him a questioning look. "Maybe a lil' sugar will sweeten her up." 

"Wishful thinking," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't push her too hard, Sonny. It's gonna take a while for her to adjust to the baby, considering she's not the littlest anymore." 

................

After a week, Sonny was at his wit's end with Evelina. Between the temper tantrums, wetting the bed and calling Siena "yucky baby", he decided a day out of the house was much needed. 

"We'll take a trip into Manhattan," Sonny shrugged, as he dressed Evelina in her wool leggings and sweater. "Maybe stop to drop some paper work off with Zio Rafael? Or visit the station?" 

"Sees Zia Wivia!" Evelina squealed, clapping her hands. "Zio 'fael!" 

Isabella snorted, "Hey, if it keeps her happy for a few hours, I'll take it," she shrugged. "Maman's gonna take Carina to the grocery store, with Ma. They wanna get the stuff now for Thanksgiving, so I gave them a small list. The rest, they can pick on their own." 

Sonny chuckled as he pulled Evelina's socks on. "Just as long as Mommy has her baking treats," he said, tickling the toddler's belly. "Right? Cupcakes and pies!" 

"Yum, yum!" the girl giggled, licking her lips. "Cupcake for Lina?" 

"We can stop and get something sweet," he promised, picking her up. "Alright, we got one dressed princess. I got extra pullups, wipes and an outfit." 

Isabella followed them down the hall towards the stairs, "Make sure you keep your hat and gloves on," she warned, as they reached the living room. "And be a good girl for Daddy, Lina. And for your Aunts and Uncles. Otherwise, they won't give you sweets and stickers!" 

Getting her shoes on, Sonny grabbed their winter garb from the closet. "Do you want me to stop and get dinner?" he asked, getting Evelina in her coat. 

"I put a pot roast in the crock pot," Isabella shrugged. "I'm craving red meat, just like I did after I had Carina and Lina. Siena, however, is a breast feeding champ. I feel like I'm going to gain more weight in the next year or so, before I cut her off." 

"Ah, at least you're eatin'" he pointed out, giving her a kiss. "Alright, let's say bye bye to Mommy." 

Evelina beamed up at her, her little face framed by the fuzzy hood of her jacket. "Bye, Bye, Mommy!" she giggled waving at her. 

Backpack and toddler in hand, they took the subway ride into Manhattan, hoping that a day away from home would help. 

.............

"Nah, she can't stand her," Sonny sighed, as Evelina scribbled on a piece of paper. "She wets the bed every single night, especially when Siena wakes up. She calls her yucky and tries to throw her blocks into the crib.." 

Amanda winced, "I feel bad for her," she shrugged, surprising Sonny. "I mean, don't get me wrong, she shouldn't be throwin' blocks at her sister. But, she went from bein' the baby to bein' the big sister of an actual baby. She's two, Sonny. She doesn't get the whole "Mommy has a baby in her belly," thing like Rina did.' 

He took in her words and nodded slowly, "I don't know how much more we can take though," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I mean, we can't take her back." 

"Dis my Daddy n' my Mommy!" Evelina squealed, pointing to the picture she drew. "I draw Zio Fin now!" 

"Make sure you get my good side, "Fin teased, as Evelina sat on his lap. "Last time, you gave me three chins, Lina." 

It was a slow day at SVU, with Liv in meetings and both Amanda and Fin doing paperwork and making phone calls. "How about, you take her out for a "Daddy and Me," day?" Amanda shrugged. "I mean, Carina's takin' Siena's appearance without any problem. Maybe a day outside the house with Evelina would be good for her." 

Sonny nodded, "Or, give her a job," she continued. 

"A job?" he snorted. "She's two, Amanda. She can't do anythin' big." 

"I mean..let her help you clean the table or put the clothes away," she shrugged. "I did it with Jesse, when she started up daycare. It helped with her behavior a bit, when she would act out.." 

Evelina squealed and giggled, as she colored at Fin's desk, making Sonny smile to himself. "And maybe ask her to help with the baby," Amanda concluded. "Give her somethin' to do and make her feel more involved." 

Sonny sighed, "I hope it works," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't expect my kid to hate her baby sister." 

"You have three girls, Sonny. Just wait until they're teenagers," Amanda teased, smiling at him. "Talk about blood baths!" 

...............

A few nights later, after a small birthday party for Evelina, Sonny brought her into Siena's room. Holding her, he brought Evelina over to the crib where Siena lay. 

"Daddy, I go play," she whined, pointing to the door. "Go play!" 

"Shh, in a minute," he promised. "Do you wanna help me get Si Si ready for bed?" 

Evelina frowned, "What you mean?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "Why?" 

He chuckled, "You can pick out her pajamas and make sure I put her diaper on right," he reasoned. "Maybe help me sing a song to put her to sleep?" 

"I help baby?" Evelina asked slowly, looking at him expectantly. "Baby listen to Lina?" 

"Yeah, Siena will listen to Lina," Sonny said, as Siena cooed. "You can help me and Mommy, every night with getting Si Si ready for bed." 

"I gets cookie?" 

Sonny laughed and nodded, "You can get a cookie for helpin'," he promised, as she hugged him. "C'mon, Lina. Let's get Siena ready for bed." 

In the hour it took to change, feed, dress and sing to Siena, Evelina watched as the baby slept in her crib. Isabella stood quietly in the doorway, watching them for the better part of the last twenty minutes, with amused silence. 

"So," Sonny started, as he looked at his toddler. "What do ya think of her, Lina? Do ya think she can stay with us?" 

"She stay," Lina nodded. "She still yucky though, Daddy." 

He chuckled, "I'll take that," he nodded, giving her a squeeze. "Let's go get that cookie I promised ya, then we'll get ready for bed." 

It was a slow start, but promising.

 


	51. hospital

They had made it through five pregnancies, one shooting and the flu, without having to step foot into the hospital for anything different. A few trips to the ER here and there, which ended with being discharged after a few hours. But if it didn't have to do with birthing out babies, retracting bullets or sporting a high fever, the hospital wasn't a place Isabella went to frequently. 

After Theo's birth, the only person that ever stepped foot in a hospital, was Sonny. And that was to take statements from victims in exam rooms, before heading back to the station or somewhere that required his presence. So, eight months after Theo came into the world, Isabella found herself back in the hospital. This time though, she wasn't the patient. 

Siena was. 

At five, the little girl had more strep throat diagnosis's in her short lifetime, compared to her sisters, that her pediatrician finally recommended a tonsillectomy. Freaked out, Isabella did the research and asked the other mom's at the playground their thoughts. She spoke to specialists, read a few books and other mommy blogs, before Sonny made her stop.

_Look, I'm just as scared as you are about it. But, if it helps her in the end and takes the pain away? I just want Siena to be a happy and healthy kid, Iz._

So they scheduled the surgery and Isabella panicked the entire week leading up to, during and the aftermath of it. With Sonny in and out of the hospital, checking on the kids at home and doing some work, Isabella stayed at the hospital the entire day. And while everything went smoothly, the surgeon wanted to keep Siena overnight being that she was so young. 

_I'm confident that Siena's post-op recovery will go smoothly. But, at her age, we like to keep children overnight after a procedure like this, just to observe and see how she responds to pain medications and coming off the anesthesia._

Sitting in the recliner next to the hospital bed, Isabella was dozing off, when a knock sounded on the door. Startled, she sat up and sighed in relief, as Sonny stepped into the room. 

"Hey," she greeted him, giving him a small smile. 

"Hey, sweetheart," Sonny kissed her, before setting a bag on the table. "How are my girls?" 

Isabella patted his hand, which rested against her cheek. "Tired," she sighed. "Siena's been in and out since I got here. Nurse said it was normal though, considering she cried herself ragged before they wheeled her into the OR." 

Sonny visibly shuddered at the memory, which was only six hours previously. "Poor kid." he shook his head, watching his daughter sleep. "I can only  _imagine_ what was goin' through her mind, as they started takin' her away. Probably though the worst..." 

"Doctor said everything went great," she said, changing the direction of the conversation. "She'll still contract strep or have a sore throat, but it won't be like before. The constant infections she kept getting, every three to six weeks.." 

"Thank go for that," Sonny shook his head. "Ma took Carina and Evelina to the store after school. Picked up loads of ice cream, ice pops and anythin' soft and easy to swallow. She's gonna stay with us, just until Siena's well enough to go back to school." 

Expecting Isabella to protest, he was surprised when she nodded. "That's fine," she shrugged. "I have off for the week too, so it'll be nice to have an extra set of hands around the house. She can stay with Siena and Theo, while I get the girls from school and Ellie from the daycare. If I send her in, that is...." 

He nodded, "I picked up dinner for ya," Sonny nodded to the bag on the side table. "Fin's outside and he's gonna take ya home." 

"But..." 

"I'll stay overnight with Siena," he said, rubbing her arms with his hands. "You've been up since three in the mornin' and here all day, stressin' out. Go home and eat, Iz. Take a bubble bath and get some sleep." 

Isabella sighed, "What about you?" she asked. "Didn't you want to shower and change?" 

Sonny chuckled, "Babe, I did," he said, as she took in his appearance. "Showered at the station and changed into the clothes I had in my locker." 

"Oh," she said softly, eyeing the NYPD sweatshirt and the black track pants. "I was wondering what happened to this sweatshirt.." 

"I have like.. a dozen of these, Iz," he pointed out. "If anythin' happens, which is won't, I'll call ya. I promise." 

Looking over at Sienna, who was sound asleep, Isabella wilted and nodded. "Okay," she gave in. "I'll go home. But, I'll be back bright and early." 

He chuckled, "I wouldn't doubt it," he said, kissing her again. "Call me when you get home, alright? I called Ma on the drive over here and she said the girls are still up, but Theo was nappin'." 

"Lucky me," Isabella said, as she grabbed her jacket and her purse. "The nurse should be making her rounds again soon. Make sure you listen to every single word she says, Sonny. Siena will be in pain when she finally wakes up, so make sure you get someone in here to help out." 

"I will, I will," Sonny insisted, as she took the takeout bag off the table. "Siena's goin' to be fine and I'll make sure she's comfortable. Go home and I'll see you tomorrow." 

Isabella nodded, "I love you," Sonny said, as he hugged her. 

She gave him a tired smile, "I love you, too," she said. "Give Siena a kiss for me?" 

"I will," Sonny promised, as he made his way over to the chair next to the bed. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, babe." 

Nodding, Isabella took one last look at Siena, before stepping out of the room, dragging her feet down the hall to where Fin waited for her. 

...............

After a restless night, Isabella woke up early the next morning and got ready; a hot shower, helping Angela with breakfast and getting Siena's room ready for her arrival. Seeing that it was a rainy day, she made sure to pack an extra blanket and a hat for Siena.

"Alright, I'm leaving!" Isabella said, as she grabbed her things. "I'm going to pick Daddy and Siena up from the hospital." 

Carina and Evelina ran down the hall towards the front door, "Is Si Si alright, Mommy?" Carina asked, as Isabella wrapped her scarf around her neck. "Why did she have to stay at the hospital?" 

"Because she's not feeling so good, baby," Isabella said, as Evelina hugged her leg. "But, the doctor gave her some medicine and she's going to be fine. All she needs is a lot of rest, medicine and she'll be her old self in a few days." 

"Kay!" Carina nodded. "Lina and I are gonna make pictures for her." 

Sending them off to play, Isabella took the drive into Manhattan, stopping along the way to pick up coffee for herself and Sonny. Checking in at the nurses station, Isabella made her way down the hall to Siena's room. The pediatric wing was heavily decorated for Saint Patrick's Day; the green shamrocks and leprechauns, covering the walls and windows, splattered with rainbows and pots of gold. It was far more cheerful down here, compared to the other wings in the hospital. 

"Eat a little bit more, Si," she heard Sonny say. "You need food in that lil' belly of yours." 

Standing in the doorway, Isabella watched as Siena sat up in bed, the hospital tray close to her. Sonny sat across from her, holding a fork in his hand, where a few pieces of scrambled eggs were pierced on. 

"Mommy!" Siena said, her voice raspy. 

"Hi baby girl!" Isabella smiled, as she made her way into the room. "How do you feel?" 

Taking the tray of coffees and bags from her, Sonny moved so that Isabella could sit down on the bed. Moving the tray over, Isabella gave her daughter a hug and a kiss, before sitting back to look at her. 

"My throat hurts," Siena pouted. "The nurse lady says I has to eat. If I don't, I can't go home." 

"It's alright," Isabella nodded, smoothing her hair away from her face. "Just eat a lil bit and take your time. Don't rush." 

Doing what she was told, Siena ate slowly, while Sonny handed the second cup of coffee to her. "She woke up at six, when the nurse came in to take her stats. Some doc came in an hour later, asked a few questions and left. Surgeon should be up at eleven and hopefully we'll be out of here by noon." 

Isabella nodded, "Did she wake up after I left?" 

"Yeah," he nodded. "They gave us ice chips and she ate like.. six ice pops. The nurse had to cut her off after that, because they usually give the kids one or two. They gave her antibiotics and something for the pain, and we watched My Lil' Pony until she knocked out around... midnight? I didn't fall asleep til a quarter after two.." 

"Well, when we go home you two can sleep," Isabella said. "Carina and Evelina are going to make pictures for her. Ma's doing the laundry, while Maman plans on coming out tomorrow with Dad." 

Sonny nodded and stretched his arms up and over his head, "Pop's gonna come out the day after tomorrow with extra clothes and what not for Ma," he sighed. "He's actually excited to have the house to himself for a week, despite the circumstances." 

Isabella snorted, "I bet he does," she shook her head, amused. "I'll be relived when we get out of here. And I don't want to be back here again for a LONG time, Sonny. So... try not to get shot or anything." 

"Me?" Sonny snorted. "I'm not the only one, livin' in the house. Between you catchin' the flu and the kids bein' wild animals, I'm surprised we don't have our own private room here." 

"Mommy? I gotta go potty," Siena whispered from the bed. 

Setting her cup down on the table, Isabella moved the tray out of the way again. "Alright, let's get you on the potty," she said, helping her out of bed; minding the IV's and wires on her. "Easy, Si Si. We don't want your IV to come out just yet, alright?" 

As they disappeared into the bathroom, Sonny moved to fix up the hospital bed, before sitting back down in the chair. 

"Good LORD, Siena!" he heard Isabella gasped. "That is one big poop you made!" 

Snorting, Sonny leaned back and shook his head. "Let's get you cleaned up and we'll go lay down," his wife continued. "We can watch some cartoons before the other doctor comes in to see you." 

"Then can I go home?" Siena asked, as the toilet flushed. 

"If the doctor says yes, which he will, we can go home," Isabella promised. "Come on. Let's go see what Daddy's doing out there, baby. He's probably just as ready to go home, as you are." 

 


	52. drunken displays of affection part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> isabella's a messy drunk

"Sonny!" 

The man chuckled as Isabella threw herself into his open and waiting arms, her feet nearly sliding out from under her. 

"Thanks, Manda," he shook his head, as the very sober cop grinned at him. "I let her go out with you and you send her back, filled with an entire bar of god only knows what." 

"Ah, she had fun!" Amanda insisted, waving her hand at him. "Girls night, Sonny. Remember?" 

Isabella giggled as she pressed kisses against Sonny's neck. "You're so pretty, Sonny," she giggled, pulling herself up to stand; wobbly with the heels and being completely wasted. "I married such a pretty guy, Manda. Isn't he pretty? Pretty, pretty, pretty..." 

Snorting, Amanda said goodbye and made her way downstairs to the car, leaving Sonny with Isabella. Closing and locking the door, he turned and wrapped his arm around Isabella's waist and half carried her upstairs.

"Oohhhh, are we goin' to have sex?" she giggled, her heels smacking against the hardwood floor. "You gonna take me for a ride, Sonny? A ride on the Italian Stallion?" 

"Oh you're going on a ride alright," Sonny said, as they stepped into the bedroom. "A ride right on into dreamland." 

She pouted, "Noo, I wanna do it, Sonny," she said, as he made her sit down on the bed. "C'mon, baby. You always slip me the sausage when I ask you to.  Why not now?" 

He sighed, moving to take her heels off. "You're drunk, Iz," he pointed out, as she hiccuped. "I'm not takin' advantage of ya in this state." 

"Soonnnnnnyyyyy!" she whined, falling backwards on the bed; her arms spread out against the sheets. 

"Isabelllaaaaaaa!" Sonny mimicked, as he moved to stand up. "Let's get you in some pj's and ready for bed, hm?" 

Moving around the room, Sonny searched for clean clothes, while Isabella hummed and giggled to herself. "Ya know, you have the  _biggest_ penis I've ever seen," she sighed happily. "And it's only for me to touch! And kiss and do whatever I want to it." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, as he found a shirt for her. "Oh yeah?" he asked, as she continued to babble. 

"Yup," she nodded to herself, her lips making a popping sound at the end. "Allll mineee. You're like the Staten Island Ferry, baby. Cuz I like to ride you _sloowwwwwwww._ HA! Get it, Sonny? Cuz the ferry goes _sloowwwwww._ " 

Snorting, Sonny shook his head, "no matter what you say, I'm still not havin' sex with ya tonight," he informed her, earning a pout in return. "You'll survive, Iz. Let's get you comfy and ready for bed." 

Helping her undress, Sonny tossed the sweaty and smokey-smelling clothes towards the hamper; clean underwear, followed by sleep shorts and a shirt, were pulled on. As Sonny moved to grab a wet washcloth, a bottle of Advil and water, Isabella laid quietly on the bed in the semi-darkness. 

When he came out of the bathroom, he could heard the sniffling and was alarmed. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, moving quickly back to the bed. "Did you throw up?" 

"No," Isabella shook her head furiously. "Y-you don't wanna have s-sex with m-m-meeee!" 

Automatically, Isabella began to sob; tears and snot running down her face. "Oh, Izzy," Sonny sighed, setting the bottle and glass down on the nightstand. 

She rubbed her hand across her face, making him grimace in the process. "You don't f-f-ind me s-sexy anymoreeee!" she wailed, her breath hitching with each sob. "S-sonnnyyyyy!" 

"I do find you sexy, baby," Sonny insisted, placing his hand against her forehead. "I do. But.. you're in no state to have sex right now. Remember? We said no sex if one of us is under the influence..." 

"T-thats a s-s-stooopid rule, Sonny," she wailed. "You're so pretty, Sonny. Do you think I'm p-pretty too?" 

Sonny nodded, "You're  _gorgeous,_ baby," he said, smoothing her hair back. "I love you so much, Iz." 

Isabella nodded, "I'm hungry," she mumbled, changing the subject. "I wanna tacooo." 

"Oh my god," Sonny huffed out, dropping his head down against the mattress. "I'm gonna kill Amanda..." 

Taking the washcloth, Sonny wiped her face clean of snot and runny makeup, before sitting her up slowly. "Let's get your hair up like this.." he muttered, pulling the mass of tangled curls up into a bun. "Alright, you ready to lay down?" 

Fixing the pillows, Sonny guided Isabella toward them, only to have her struggle to sit up. "I was the one that broke your coffee mug," she blurted out. "When I said that it was Carina, I lied. It was really me and I was selfish and didn't want you to be mad at me." 

"The blue one that matches the eight others we have in the cabinet?" Sonny frowned. 

"Yeah," Isabella nodded, sniffling harshly. 

He nodded, "It's alright. It's just a cup, Iz. We've got enough cups to drink our coffee from, alright?" 

She nodded again, "I'm sorry I lied and blamed our six year old for a crime she didn't commit." 

"Okay, Iz," Sonny nodded, moving to make her lay down. "Let's get some sleep, okay? I'm gonna get the garbage can and put it by the bed, just incase you barf." 

"Noooo, don't leave me!" Isabella cried out, as Sonny moved to get up. "Don't leave me, Sonny!" 

"I'm just getting the garbage can, Iz," Sonny said gently, as she began to cry. "Oh my god, why are you cryin'?" 

Isabella heaved a deep breath, "Don't wanna divorce," she mumbled, as he looked at her. "I'll be a good wife, Sonny. I'll lose more weight and wear pretty clothes for you n' do whatever you want in bed." 

Sonny sighed, "You don't have to do a thing, Iz," he assured her. "I love you the way you are, okay?" 

But Isabella was already on the next leg of the conversation, "Can you order a pizza? We need pizza and beer, Sonny," she babbled, as he quickly went to get the garbage can. "And we can have sex." 

"No, we're not havin' pizza and beer," he said, setting the garbage pail on the floor near her bedside. "And we're not havin' sex tonight either." 

As he opened the bottle of Advil, Isabella wiggled around on the bed. "You wanna try anal sex?" she asked, the question coming out so causal as if she were asking what he wanted for dinner. "We should. You said I have the best ass in all of the me...met.... what was the word?" 

"Metropolitan," Sonny said, shaking out two pills. "And you do. But, let's talk about it when you're sober. Here, take this." 

"Oooohhh, candy!" Isabella squealed, taking the pills from him. 

Sonny made a face as she  _chewed_ the capsules, as if they were candy. "Uhghhh, this is gwoss," she gagged, her mouth filled with saliva and bits of Advil. "This is awful candy!" 

Handing her the water, Sonny watched as drank, before taking the glass back to him. "Let's go to bed," Sonny said, determined to put her down to sleep. "C'mon, Iz. The girls are asleep in their rooms."

"We have babies?" Isabella gasped, as her head rested upon the pillow. "You put babies in me?" 

"Yes, we have babies," Sonny nodded, pulling the blankets up to her chin. "Three girls. Carina, Evelina and Siena." 

Seeing that her eyes were filling with tears again, Sonny quickly leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Shhh, it's alright," he soothed, as she let out a shaky breath. "You'll see them in the mornin' at breakfast." 

Isabella nodded quickly, "We have babies," she laughed, as tears leaked from her eyes. "I have babies with you." 

"You do," Sonny said, giving her a small smile. "We do, Iz." 

"That's so  _cool."_

He chuckled, "It's very cool, "he confirmed. "You ready to sleep?" 

Rolling onto her side, Isabella crossed her ankles and placed her clasped hands under her head. "Hmmm," she sighed deeply, closing her eyes. "Sonny?" 

"Yeah, baby?" 

"Can you hold me?" she mumbled. 

Laying out next to her, Sonny rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around her waist; the other went underneath the second pillow. "Go to sleep," he whispered, as she shuffled closer to him. "I'm right here, Iz." 

She reeked of booze and smoke and while he knew she needed to shower, and would complain tomorrow that he didn't throw her into one, Sonny knew that laying down and going to sleep was the best thing for her. Past experiences were enough for him to realize this, seeing how her emotions went all over the place while under the influence." 

"Sonny," she called out suddenly, halfway to dreamland. 

"What?" Sonny asked, as she grunted. "Do ya have to barf?" 

Isabella shifted under the blankets. "Put ya hand on my butt," she mumbled. "Butt rubbies, Sonny." 

Scoffing, Sonny moved his hand from her waist, down to her pajama clad bottom. "Hmmmm, g'night," Isabella mumbled, as she finally drifted off into unconsciousness. 

..................

"Ohhh, Izzy," Sonny sang, as he reached out to place his hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, sweetheart. Rise and shine." 

Isabella whimpered, pressing her face into the pillow under her head. Every square inch of her hurt, as the nausea consumed her. After waking up twice to throw up in the garbage pail, Isabella fell back asleep around four in the morning, sleeping for another five and a half hours without any interruptions. Until now that is. 

"Noooooo." 

Sonny shook his head, "I've got breakfast cookin'," he said, rubbing her back. "C'mon. You need to eat some toast and get some liquid into ya, along with takin' a shower." 

She opened her eyes, relived to see that the room was plunged into darkness; Sonny knew by now, that during the event of a hangover, all curtains and blinds had to be drawn shut. Along with any lighting, there was to be nothing but total darkness. 

"Please don't make me,' Isabella whined, as Sonny pulled the blankets off her. "Please, Sonny. Please don't make me get up." 

"Iz, you need to shower and eat somethin'" Sonny said. "I'll change the sheets and you can lay in bed all day, while I take the girls out to get groceries." 

Seeing that she was losing this battle, Isabella reluctantly got out of bed with her husbands help. The bright lights of their bathroom made her whimper, as the shower went on. Off came the sweaty clothes and into the hot stream of water, did she disappear under. 

"Wash up and I'll come back to get you," Sonny said, taking the clothes from the floor. "The girls are watchin' their mornin' cartoons, so we're in no rush to eat." 

Scrubbing herself clean, Isabella stood under the spray for fifteen minutes, before turning the water off. Grabbing the one towel on the rack, Isabella slowly stepped out of the stall and wrapped it around herself, just as Sonny came back in to check on her. 

"Feel better?" he asked, as she leaned against the counter. "You  _look_ a bit better. But, Jesus, those eyes are bloodshot." 

"How bad was I?" Isabella asked, as he grabbed another towel from the closet. "And be honest, Sonny." 

Shaking the towel open, Sonny moved to dry her hair with it, "Well, you were happy and giggly one minute, then cryin' the next...." he started, as she winced. "Hey, it's all good. We all say and do things, when drunk. I'm sure I've said some crazy shit to you, while under the influence of.. what  _did_ you drink last night." 

"Whiskey and scotch," she mumbled, as Sonny whistled. "And I had two glasses of wine with dinner..." 

"Jesus..." Sonny snorted, shaking his head. "Well, I hope you had fun on your night out..." 

She huffed, "I'm never going out with Amanda again," she mumbled, as Sonny set the towel down on the counter. "Ever." 

Laughing, Sonny kissed her cheek. "You will," he nodded. "You're quite the drunk though, Iz." 

"Please.. I don't want to know..." she started, before Sonny interrupted her. 

"Do you tell everyone that I'm your "Italian Stallion"? That you compare me to the Staten Island Ferry, cuz you like to ride me slow?"  he asked, smirking. "And you like it when I give you butt rubbies..." 

Isabella blushed and buried her face into his shirt, groaning as he laughed at her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Sonny said, as he calmed down a bit. "It was just.. it was cute, Iz. You're cute. My wife is so freakin' cute, even when she's drunk off her ass and tryin' to get me in her panties..." 

Looking up at him, Isabella scowled. "I'm going to smack you," she threatened weakly. "Buy my body hurts, so right now, I'm picturing it in my head." 

"Get dressed and come eat," Sonny said, pulling her away from the counter. "After that, you can spend the day in bed." 

Leading her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, Sonny gave her shoulders a light squeeze, as she eyed the clean loungewear on the bed; a shirt and pants from his own loungewear collection. 

"Figured ya want to wear somethin' extra comfy," Sonny shrugged, scratching his head. "I put a few blankets in the dryer to heat 'em up..." 

"You're best husband a girl could ever ask for," Isabella said, hugging him. "Especially when you have to deal with a messy drunk." 

Sonny kissed the top of her head, "It's nothin' compared to what I see at work," he shrugged. "Besides, you're quite the show when drunk, Iz. The way you make conversations flow, from one subject to the next, is amazin'. We went from talkin' about sex to you admitting you broke the coffee mug three months ago." 

Isabella blushed, which made Sonny snicker. "Either way," he sighed. "I love ya and I love your messiness when you have too much to drink." 

"Maybe, when I'm not hungover anymore, I'll ride you like the Staten Island Ferry," Isabella giggled, as Sonny's hands move down to her bottom. "But not today. Today, I would probably set sea sick and barf." 

"Well, that's a relief," Sonny snickered. "Alright, get dressed and come downstairs to eat. Otherwise, I'm givin' your waffles away to the three lil' piggies." 

 

 


	53. drunken displays of affection part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sonny's a horny drunk.

"C'mon, Iz," Sonny grumbled, as she sat him down on the bed. "Lemme see ya panties." 

She snorted, taking his hands into her own, before setting them down on his lap. "Paws off, mister," she teased, as he smirked at her. "You had w _ay_ to much to drink tonight. I could kill Fin and Amanda right now, for letting you get this sloppy." 

Sonny pouted, "I'm not sloppy," he mumbled, placing his hands on her hips. "I just wanna see what ya got under there. Or, are you not wearin' any? Hm? Is my girl not wearin' panties tonight?" 

"Don't worry about it, Sonny," Isabella said, patting his head lightly. "Let's get you in the shower, alright? You smell." 

"Wanna join me?" Sonny asked, as she helped him to his feet. "Wanna... clean me up?" 

He then leaned forward, their noses nearly touching, as the smell of scotch and beer wafted in her face. "I'm a dirty boy, Izzie.  _Verrrrryyyyy_ dirty." 

Isabella choked on a laugh, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm sure you are," she sighed, leading him to the bathroom. "Let's just get you in there, alright?" 

Getting him into the bathroom and undressed, proved to be a task; with each removal of his clothes, Sonny's hands wandered all over the place. And while Sonny looked like he weighed nothing to a stranger's eye, piled up with alcohol made him feel thirty pounds heavier than normal. One he was stripped naked and under the hot stream of water, Isabella leaned against the wall next to the shower; exhausted and sweaty herself, as Sonny snorted and laughed in the shower. 

"You... you are ridiculous," Isabella said, as she peered around the curtain. "Wash yourself, Sonny." 

"Come wash me," Sonny whined, resting his head against the wall. "I want ya in here, Iz. I like ya all slippery and wet... ahah, get it? Slippery and wet! Cuz, you get _real_ slippery and wet when I'm around.." 

The lazy wink and leer he gave her, made Isabella both groan and blush. When drunk, Sonny became a complete horn dog; which, wasn't much different to sober Sonny, since they were always having sex when Carina was either asleep or spending the night at her grandparents'. But, they had both made a deal with one another, after Isabella told him about the rape and when they started sleeping together: under no certain terms, were they allowed to have sex, if one was under the influence of alcohol or medication. Even if the impaired _insisted_ they wanted to be screwed into the mattress, or any surface that is. 

Now, if they were both drunk, the deal didn't matter. Just as long as neither one of them were barfing and Isabella made sure to take her pill that morning, it was safe to say that they were going to have sex.

"Alright, lets get you dressed for bed," Isabella announced, reaching into the shower to turn the water off. "It's getting late and you're going to be miserable tomorrow." 

Getting him dried off and into a pair of boxers, proved to be difficult, as Sonny wiggled around. "Sonny, stop it," Isabella huffed, as she threw the towel towards the hamper. "You keep wiggling that thing in my face, I'm gonna have to cut it off!"

Sonny gasped dramatically, his hand flying up to his chest. "You wouldn't!" he shook his head. "How can you cut my cannoli off, Iz? You love it too much to commit a crime against it!"

"So you think," she said, pulling a shirt over his head.

Once he was dressed, Sonny flopped back against the pillows and kicked at the blankets. "Iz," he slurred, as she moved around the room to clean up. "Iz. Iz. Izzzzzzz!" 

"Shh!" she hissed, moving to close the bedroom door. "Be quiet, Sonny!"

He giggled, "Come sit on my face," he hiccuped. "I wanna lick ya up, baby."

Isabella snorted, "I haven't showered, Sonny," she sighed, tossing his clothes into the hamper. "And, I'm not sitting on your face."

"C'monnnnnn," Sonny whined, smacking the mattress with his hands. "I dont' care if you smell funky, Izzie-bellaaa. I wanna piece of my tiramisu..."

"Nope."

Whining and mumbling, Isabella went about, cleaning up the bedroom. With Carina sound asleep in her crib next door, Isabella was able to get a few things done; putting the laundry away and getting the hangover kit together for the morning.

"Can I at least put it in ya?" Sonny blurted, after ten minutes of semi-silence from him.

"Sonny, we're not doing anything remotely sexual tonight," Isabella said, as she set the bottle of Advil down on the nightstand. "You remember our rule. No sex while one of us is drunk or impaired due to medication."

Sonny whimpered, reaching out to wrap his arm around her waist. "But.. I wanna be _in_ ya, baby," he pouted, his eyes bloodshot.  "What about a blowie?" 

She let out a deep sigh, as his hands wandered up her shirt. "You're sweating out booze, Sonny. I can only imagine what you'd  _taste_ like, if I were to put your dick in my mouth right now." 

"Ahahah, you wanna put my dick in your mouth," Sonny giggled, his hand caressing her breast. "C'monnnn just for a lil bit. I bet it tastes fine, Iz. You always say so." 

"Dominick, no!" Isabella said firmly, pulling his hand out from under her shirt. "Sober up and maybe tomorrow night." 

Pouting and whining, as she force fed him pills and physically forced him down under the blankets, Sonny was a cranky  _and_ horny drunk now. 

"Can I see your boooobieees?" 

"No." 

"Can I see your vag- the place where I put my sausage in?" he hiccuped. "Please?" 

"No, Sonny." 

He pouted. "A handie-job?" he asked, lifting his head up to look at her; his normally well kept hair in a disarray from the shower. 

Isabella shook her head, "What if ya just... sit on it? N' like... grind my dick with your dick.." 

"That's cute, Sonny," Isabella said with a scoff, as she moved to stand up. 

Sonny reached out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her so that she was practically on top of him. "No, no, noooooo," he said quickly, holding her tightly against his body. "Don't go. I love you and I love your dick, Iz. It's the only dick in the world, that makes me feel good." 

"Baby, I don't have a dick," Isabella said gently. "You do, remember?" 

"Oh yeah," Sonny laughed. "I do!" 

Isabella sighed, "I can't believe I married you," she murmured, as his hands groped her ass. 

Sonny huffed out a laugh, as his hand dipped under the waist band of her sleep shorts. "Cuz I'm cute," he snickered. "And I gots a big dick and I make ya  _very_ hapy with it." 

"Dear god." 

"I love ya so so so much," he continued to babble, as his hand squeezed and released her flesh, before moving to favor the other side of her ass. "I'm so drunk right now, Iz. But I love ya and I wanna put a baby in ya. Let's have babies, Iz." 

She patted his shoulder gently, "Sonny, we have one," she said. "Remember? Carina? She's six months old and asleep in the room next door." 

Lifting her head up, Isabella looked down at him. "We do?" he gasped, his eyes wide. "I put a baby in ya?" 

"Yes, yes you put a baby in me," Isabella snorted. "She's asleep, so you need to lower your voice and go to bed." 

"Kay," Sonny nodded, still amazed over the idea that he had a child. "Can we have another one? Like.. now?" 

Isabella snorted and shook her head, "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" she offered. "Right now, I need you to go to sleep.." 

Moving off of him, Isabella laid out next to him, while Sonny rolled over to hover over her. "Promise?" he asked, as his hand crept up under her shirt. 

"I promise," she said, as he caressed her bare breast again. "Sonny! Don't squeeze!" 

"Whoa!" Sonny yelped, as Isabella let out a groan; her hand flying up to cover the one under her shirt, keeping it still. "Your boob just peed on me!" 

Removing his hand slowly, Isabella quickly got up and off the bed. "I swear to god, next time you come home this drunk, I'm locking you in the bathroom." 

Looking down at his hand, which was wet with breast milk, Sonny just blinked. "What is this?" he asked, confused and amazed all at once. "When do boobies pee?" 

With a mix of horror and bewilderment, Isabella watched as Sonny licked his wet palm. "Hey! That's pretty sweet!" Sonny giggled. "It's like a milkshake or somethin', Iz!" 

"Oh..." she said weakly, as he licked his hand again. 

"Can I have another taste?" he asked, waving her over to him. "C'mon. Just a little bit more?" 

Isabella shook her head, "Go to bed, Sonny," she said, overly fed up with him now. "Before I knock you out!" 

She then quickly rushed out of the room, her hand covering her leaking breast. Pouting, Sonny laid back down again, hiccuping and burping. By the time Isabella came back into the room an hour later, after pumping and checking on Carina, he was out cold and snoring into his pillow. 

..............

The next morning, Sonny was a whimpering mess, as he sat at the kitchen table. Between the pain all over his body and the smell of breakfast cooking, it was safe to say that his hangover would be a brutal one. 

"Should've listened to Fin when he said to stop," Isabella shrugged, setting a glass of water before him. 

"Hmmm," he grunted, as Carina squealed in her high chair. 

After breakfast, Isabella took Carina into her room and changed her diaper. Setting the infant down in bed with Sonny, she went to get ready for her shower. Stripping out of her pajamas, Isabella looked up in the bathroom mirror and gasped. 

"DOMINICK!" 

Quickly, as one could a major hangover, Sonny was in the bathroom expecting the worst. What he didn't expect, was to see his very naked wife standing in their bathroom, looking very annoyed at him. 

"Well... hello..." he whistled, as she glared at him. 

"Look at what you did!" she yelled, pointing to her breast. 

Along with pattern of veins, still apparent six months after Carina's birth, and being full with milk again, Sonny noticed the dark marks scattered along one side of her breast. 

"Oh shit," he whispered. 

"Yeah, oh shit!" Isabella snapped. "Jesus Christ, Dominick! I know you get extra horny when you're drunk, but seriously? This looks like you tried to rip my breast right off!" 

Sonny's eyes were wide with fear, as he shook his head quickly. "I didn't mean to, Iz!" he said quickly, as she huffed. "I'm sorry! I didn't think I squeezed ya that hard!" 

Turning around to start the shower, Sonny noticed the scatter of small bruises along her bottom and swallowed thickly. "Iz, next time I'm drunk, just let me sleep in the tub," he said. 

"What now?" she asked, turning to look at herself in the mirror. "Jesus..." 

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Sonny said, frantic now. "I never meant to hurt ya, baby!" 

Seeing that he was distraught over the bruises, Isabella reached out and took his hands into hers. "It's... Sonny, it's alright," she sighed. "I know you didn't meant to hurt me." 

He nodded slowly, looking so upset. "Just... you need to control yourself," Isabella concluded. "I mean, I know you wanna have sex with me all the time and all... but you get really handsy when you're drunk." 

"Next time, just smack me," Sonny said. "Just.. lay one on me and I'll stop." 

"No, I'm not going to smack the shit out of you, Sonny," Isabella said. "Because, I wouldn't want you to do that to me."

Pulling him down by the font of his shirt, Isabella kissed him deeply, as her arms wrapped around his neck; her fingers threading into his hair. Sighing, Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up off the floor. 

"I could always make it up to ya," Sonny said, in between kisses. "The baby fell asleep as soon as I laid her down. How she didn't wake with ya screamin', is a miracle." 

Isabella snorted," You could, but I have things to do," she said, which made him pout. "Maybe later though. I can cuff you to the headboard and tease you a bit, just for being a little horny pig." 

Sonny whimpered and pouted, as Isabella lightly patted his cheek. "Be a good boy and get some rest," Isabella said, smiling sweetly at him. "If you're feeling better by tonight, I'll let you make it up to me." 

"Handcuffs?" he asked, panting against her lips. 

"Oh, Sonny," she tutted, tapping his nose with her finger. "I'll use more than handcuffs on you. Hope you don't plan on rolling your sleeves up at work anytime soon..." 

He swallowed thickly, his eyes going a bit wider than usual, which made Isabella giggle sweetly at him. "Maybe you'll think twice, before you let your friends force feed you drinks," she shrugged, wiggling out of his arms. "Now, be a good Daddy and go check on the baby. If you want me to, what was it again? Oh!" she grinned wickedly. "If you want me to sit on your face later, you better get some rest. I plan on tiring you out by the end of the night." 

 


	54. clingy cuddlers

Sonny sighed, as he shifted the little boy against his hip, before bending at the knees to pick up the other child. 

"Look, you two are gettin' a lil' big for this," he said, as Theo and Ellie hung onto him for dear life. "Daddy's gettin' old here." 

"No, Daddy," Ellie shook her head, popping her thumb into her mouth. 

At three and a half, Eleanora was not one to give up cuddling with her parents, especially when it came to Daddy. Between work and spending a good portion of the day in daycare, the little girl took every opportunity to be with Sonny when he was home. 

Theodore on the other hand, at one and a half, was still the  _baby_ of the group. Wobbly on his feet, the little boy couldn't run amok in the house; the stairs had a safety gate at each end, after the great fall before Halloween when Siena was five and a half years old. 

"Dada," Theo yawned, rubbing his eye with a chubby fist. "Dada." 

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get ya baba," Sonny snorted, as he started for the kitchen. "Mommy should be home soon, that way I can start dinner." 

In the living room, Carina, Evelina and Siena were sprawled out on the sofas and the floor; their blankets and pillows scattered about, as another princess movie played on the television. 

"You guys alright in there?" Sonny called out, as the opening of  _Be Our Guest_ started up. 

"Yeah!" Carina and Siena called out in unison. 

"More cookies, Daddy!" Evelina shouted. 

Sonny sighed and carried the two youngest into the kitchen, bringing them over to the the table. "Let's get ya in a chair," he started, moving to lower Eleanora down. 

But the little girl wasn't having it, wrapping her arms and tightening her legs against his ribcage. "No!" she shouted, as Sonny tried to pull her off. "NO DADDY!" 

"Jesus Christ...." he muttered, standing up straight. "Ellie, baby girl, I need to put ya's down so I can get a bottle for your brother." 

"No!"

Theo yawned, watching as his sister threw a tantrum. Out of the five Carisi children, Theodore was the most relaxed of the bunch. Surprising, considering who his parents were; especially since he was a miniature Sonny for the most part. 

Sighing, Sonny pushed the chair out with his foot and sat down, easing the kids on his lap. Wrapping one arm around them both, he reached for the container of baby snacks and popped the top off. 

"Eat these then," he said, handing a cheese puff to them both. 

"Cheese!" Ellie squealed, shoving the snack into her mouth. "'Eese!" 

Sonny sat back and watched as they ate, offering a piece here and there, when they both turned to look at him. By the time Theo began to really fuss, Isabella was coming through the front door. 

"I'm home!" she called out, as the girls quickly rushed to greet her. "Hi girls! What are we watching? Did Daddy put on  _Beauty and the Beast_ again?" 

"Daddy lets us watch it cuz he's the Beast!" Siena giggled. 

Isabella laughed, "Yes, but he's the most  _handsomest_ beast," she reminded her. "Right, girls? Daddy's so handsome!" 

A few more questions and Isabella was walking into the kitchen, dropping her work bag near the little table that housed the phone and their mail. "Hi, handsome," she grinned, moving across the room to greet him. 

"Hi, princess," Sonny teased back, as she kissed him.

"And hello my little babies!" she squealed, leaning down to kiss Ellie and Theo. "Look at you two! You're all cheesy!" 

Ellie giggled, as she ran her cheese covered fingers on her face. "I  _tried_ to put her down, so I could get Theo a bottle," Sonny started. "But, she's clingy and started pitchin' a fit." 

His wife snickered, "They're so clingy with you," she sighed. "They miss you, Sonny. Between school and the hours you pull at work, they only get two full days with you, if they're lucky." 

"Dada," Theo began to whimper. "Dadaaaaaa." 

"I'll go start his bottle," Isabella said, as Sonny began to bounce his leg up and down. "It's alright, Theo." 

Kissing the little boy on the head, Sonny watched as Isabella moved around the kitchen to prep a bottle for him. "So, how did it go?" he asked, as Ellie giggled with each bounce.

She smiled, "Well, you're looking at the new head of the History department!" she cheered, waving the bottles in the air. 

"Really?" Sonny gasped, as Isabella nodded. "Did you hear that? Mommy got a promotion at work!" 

"Yay!" Ellie shrieked, clapping her hands. 

Isabella filled the bottle with the formula mixture, before setting it int the warmer. "I have a few meetings over the next six weeks," she said, leaning against the counter. "I plan on changing a lot of stuff in that school, just to make sure these kids actually learn something." 

Sonny smiled, "My wife is so smart," he said, sighing happily. "Gorgeous, funny and smart..." 

"What do you want?" Isabella asked. 

"Please take one of these meatballs," he nearly pouted. "My thighs are numb and my arms hurt." 

Snorting, Isabella moved around the island in the kitchen, taking Ellie from him. "Daddy!" she whined, as Isabella held her against her hip. 

"Shh, wanna help Mommy cook?" Isabella asked the three and a half year old. "If you help Mommy, then you get  _ice cream_ later." 

Ellie gasped and nodded, "I help!" she said, her blue eyes wide. "I help, Mommy!" 

Getting the bottle out, Isabella set Ellie down on the floor, moving to grab pots and pans out of the cabinet. "Let's make some dinosaur chicken nuggets," she said, as Ellie followed her around. 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Evelina shouted, as she rushed into the kitchen, climbing up onto his lap. 

"Lina!" Sonny yelped, as the pain ripped through his already numb leg. 

Evelina wrapped her arms around his middle, "Where are my cookies, Daddy?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him. 

Sonny grumbled as he shifted her on his lap. "You can have cookies later," he said, which earned him a pout. "Mommy's puttin' dino nuggets in for dinner." 

"But-" Evelina started, before Sonny shook his head. "Okayyyyy." 

With Theo drinking his bottle on one leg, and Evelina on another, Sonny sat back and sighed deeply. It would be like this for the rest of the evening, up until it was time to tuck the kids into their beds. And while Carina and Evelina were good about staying in their own beds throughout the night, it was the other three that weren't. Siena, at six, still snuck her way  between her parents, once in a while. Ellie was always finding a spot to crash on, while Theo found his way in Mommy and Daddy's bed halfway through the night. 

Boney knees and elbows, Sonny was the prime target for cuddling; the kids used him like a giant body pillow, cuddling up on his arms, legs, back or chest. He wasn't a stranger to baby vomit, pee and poop either; the curse of having children in school and toilet training. But, seeing two of his five children, happy and content with being in his embrace, made all of that worth it. 

"Daddy, can I sleep with you and Mommy tonight?" Evelina asked, looking up at him. 

"Ah... we'll see," Sonny said, dropping a kiss against her forehead. "Last time you slept in our bed, you gave Mommy a busted lip and I got a black eye." 

Ah, the perks of having clingy children. 


	55. 40

Sonny sat at the kitchen table, surrounded by friends and family, as they sang happy birthday to him. The candlelight filled the room, as forty multicolored candles burned on the cake. 

"Happy Birthday to Sonny..." 

"DADDY!!!" the girls squealed. 

The adults laughed, "Happy birthday to youuuu!!!" the finished, as Sonny blew out the candles. 

Flipping on the lights, everyone cheered, as Isabella made her way over to Sonny, dropping a kiss against his lips. "Happy birthday, baby," she whispered, as Carina and Evelina rushed to his side. 

"Daddy! Daddy!" they chanted, grabbing at his shirt sleeve. 

"Daddy, you're old now!" Evelina giggled, as she climbed onto his lap "You're old like Zio Rafael." 

There was a shout from the back, "Hey! I'm not old!" Rafael called out, as Olivia snorted. "What? I'm not!" 

Giving the girls a kiss, Sonny smiled as Angela brought Siena over to him. "Say, "Happy Birthday, Daddy," Angela cooed, as the two year old beamed.

"Hey, Munchkin!" Sonny grinned, taking the infant from his mother. "Did you just wake up from a nap?" 

"Maman, I have in the kitchen for cake," Isabella said, as Noelle went to grab a stack of glass dishes. "I bought paper ones for a reason." 

As mother and daughter bickered over the plates, Carina giggled. "I picked out Paw Patrol plates for your cake, Daddy," she said. "Cuz, Chase is a police dog and you're a police man!" 

Sonny tickled the six and a half year old, "That's right,  _topolina,"_ he grinned, as Siena rested her head against his shoulder. "And, I love all the Paw Patrol stuff here. My balloons are super cute!" 

"Mommy gots them cuz Rina was cryin'," Evelina said, brushing her hair away from her face. 

"I think the decor is cute," Amanda shrugged, holding a beer in her hand. "Your Dad talks about Paw Patrol, all day long. And the princess movies he watches with you guys.." 

Siena giggled, hiding her face behind her hands, while the other two Carisi girls laughed. "Daddy's silly," Carina said, as Isabella came out with paper plates and a knife for the cake. 

"Alright, let's have some cake!" Isabella announced with a smile. "I know it's getting late and you've all had a long day at work." 

Moving around the table, Olivia rolled up her sleeves and went to work, helping hand out plates and forks. "Nonsense, "she said, when Isabella tried to get her to sit down and relax. "Just because we worked all day, doesn't mean you have to cater to all of us. I can't imagine how much work you put into this, between work and taking care of the girls afterwards." 

It was true, considering the small get together had been planned, between work and school schedules; add in the doctor visits with the OB/GYN, Isabella was exhausted. And considering it was one of the big birthday milestones, Isabella wanted to celebrate it. 

"Babe, come sit," Sonny called out, as he shared his piece of cake with Siena. "You shouldn't be on your feet for so long!" 

"Go," Olivia smirked. "I'll get refills and whatever anyone needs." 

Nodding, Isabella went around the table and pulled the chair out, before easing herself down into it. "Hi," she said, giving Sonny a tired smile. "How's the cake?" 

Sonny nodded, "Baby likes it," he said, nodding to Siena's icing smeared face. "Aren't you havin' a piece?" 

"Maybe later," she yawned. "Doctor said I had to cut back the sugar, among everything else. It's probably why, along with being older now, that I can't get pregnant." 

"A little piece won't kill ya, though," Sonny shrugged. "I won't tell Doctor Brown if you don't..." 

Isabella shrugged, as her eyes scanned the room; both their parents, Sonny's sisters and their families and their friends moved in and out of the kitchen; holding plates of cake and junk food and drinks of their choice. 

"So.." Sonny spoke up, as he wiped Siena's face with a napkin. "What did ya get me for my birthday?"

"What makes you think I got you anything?" Isabella retorted, snickering at the pout he gave her. 

He shifted Siena on his lap, "It's not everyday your husband turns forty, ya know..." he shrugged. "I figured somethin' must be in the works for this milestone.." 

Leaning forward in the chair, Isabella whispered into his ear; her words and promises for the evening made Sonny blush, as he glanced around the room. " _Jesus,_ Iz," he breathed, making sure no one was looking at them. "You're so naughty sometimes." 

"I try my best," Isabella shrugged, as she leaned back in her chair; her feet resting on his lap, which was child-free at the moment. "I hope you don't stuff your face with cake and beer, Sonny. Otherwise, you get nothing for your birthday." 

.................

After opening gifts, some gag gifts and other's touching, Sonny stood with Siena on one hip; the little girl was drowsy, after chucking wrapping paper and bows at her sisters and the guests.

"I wanna thank everyone for comin' out here tonight," he started. "For celebratin' this milestone of my life. When I turned thirty, I didn't think that ten years from that point, I'd be here with you all. I wanna thank my wife, for plannin' this entire thing. Between work and taking care of our girls, I owe you everythin'." 

"Awwww!" The women cooed, while Fin snorted into his own drink. 

Isabella shook her head, smiling, as Sonny wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Thank you for findin' forty to be somethin' worth celebratin'," Sonny continued. "And for sayin' I look just as handsome now, as I did on our weddin' day. Even with all this grey hair and my constant complainin' about how "old" I look and feel." 

"Well, someone has to listen to you complain," Isabella teased. "I just happen to be the one, who agreed to it, when I became your wife..." 

"Even on your birthday, she knocks ya down!" Fin chuckled. 

Snorting, Sonny leaned down and gave Isabella a kiss, while Siena yawned. "Thank you," Sonny whispered to her, before dropping a kiss against her forehead. 

"You're welcome," she whispered back, giving his waist a squeeze. "And, you'll be just as handsome when you're sixty, as you are right now." 

"Oh, thank god for that, "Sonny laughed, as he shifted Siena in his arms. "And.. the same goes for you. When we're both in our sixties, wrinkly and battling the typical aches and pains, you'll still be the same gorgeous woman I married when I was thirty-two." 

"Charmer," Isabella huffed. 

He grinned, "You'll be one hot granny," he teased. "Let's go mingle for a bit, before we start kickin' everyone out." 

...............

Tucking the girls in, Sonny gave them extra hugs and kisses, as they giggled under their princess blankets. 

"Happy birthday, Daddy," Carina yawned, as she snuggled with her stuffed goat. "Did ya like all your pressies?" 

"I did," Sonny nodded. "Includin' all the pictures you and your sisters drew for me at school. I can't wait to hang 'em up at work on my desk." 

She giggled, "Get some sleep,  _topolina,"_ Sonny said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I love you." 

Rolling onto her side, Carina yawned. "Love you too, Daddy," she sighed, as Sonny stood up from her little bed. 

Checking on Evelina, Sonny turned the lights off and waited for the nightlight to go on, before heading across the hall. Siena had long fallen asleep, as Sonny dressed her after her bath. Tucking limbs back under the sheets, and smoothing her hair away from her face, Sonny quietly made his way out of the room and down the hall to the one he shared with Isabella. 

"All of them asleep?" Isabella asked, as she turned the blankets down on the bed. 

"All three of them," he confirmed, as he began to unbutton his shirt. "Surprisin', considerin' they consumed a small cake between the three of 'em." 

She giggled, "They got their sweet tooth addiction from the both of us," she reminded him. "You, more so than me, since you can eat ten cannoli's without getting sick." 

Sonny dropped the shirt into the hamper, before making his way over to her. "That's because I'm all-Italian," he pointed out. "You're half and half." 

"Show off," Isabella muttered, running her hands along his torso. "You're gaining a lil' weight there, Sonny. Maybe you've had one too many cannoli's lately.." 

"Don't," Sonny said, wiggling away from her hands. "That tickles.." 

Isabella smirked, "Really now," she grinned. "And when I say that, you keep doing whatever it is that you're doing." 

She moved her hands underneath the undershirt, her nails lightly dragging across his skin. "Hmm? Got nothing to say?" she teased, as Sonny's hands came down to grip her hips. 

"Yeah, I do," Sonny nodded, as his hands moved to the tie of her bathrobe. "I wanna see what ya got under here.." 

As the robe fell open, Sonny's eyes went wide, as Isabella giggled. "Happy birthday," she purred, as the robe slipped from her arms and onto the floor. "I figured, since I dress up all year round, I'd change it up a bit this time. Do you like?" 

He nodded, his eyes glued to her bare chest. "Iz, I always like it when ya show up in ya birthday suit," he said. "This is, without a doubt, my favorite surprise tonight." 

"Better not let the girls hear that," Isabella warned, as his arms went around her waist. "They drove me  _crazy_ finding a pink and purple tie. I never want to go tie shopping again in this lifetime. 

"It'll be our lil' secret," he whispered against her lips, before scooping her up into his arms. "I'm ready for my surprise now, Mrs. Carisi." 

Isabella giggled, "Well, you've been a good boy this year," she teased, as he dropped her on the bed. "Come and get, birthday boy." 

 

 


	56. food shopping with mommy

"Mommy, I don't  _like_ this store! I wanna go to the one Daddy takes me to!" Carina whined, as she sat in the top seat of the wagon. "The Shop n' Pops!" 

Isabella sighed, as she pushed the wagon into Trader Joe's. "Carina, today I'm doing the shopping," she said, as the four year old pouted. "You can go next weekend with Daddy to the store." 

Opting to stay home with their two year old and three month old, Sonny wished Carina the best of luck, shopping with her Mother. 

_You're going to that.. Trader Jose's place? Do you even have ta ask me if I wanna go? It's bad enough you're takin' Rina with you, since it's the same shit they sell at the regular grocery store."_

"If you're a really good girl, I'll stop on the way home and get you a  _special surprise,"_ Isabella promised. 

Carina thought about the offer, before staring her mother down. " _Two_ doughnuts," she said, holding up two fingers. "And, I wan't cheese sticks, Mommy." 

"I'll get you your cheese sticks," Isabella nodded, as they made their way over to the produce. "And... we'll see about the two doughnuts, Carina. Last time, you had a tummyache after eating one doughnut." 

Grabbing bags of salad, kale and other greens, Isabella picked out fruits and vegetables to get them through the week. 

"No, Mommy! I wants green apples!" Carina exclaimed, as Isabella picked up a bag of red apples. "Daddy gets me green ones!" 

Fixing the mistake in apples, they went off to look at the cheese and dips. It was there, that Carina pointed at various bags and tubs. 

"Carina, how much cheese do you think we need?" Isabella asked, as she set a container of feta into the wagon. 

"Mommy, it's cheese!" Carina huffed. "Daddy says that we eat lots of cheese, cuz we're eye-talian. Daddy also says that food is.... food is life." 

Isabella snorted, "Don't I know it," she muttered, grabbing two packages of string cheese. "We still have cheese at home, sweetheart. Daddy's making chicken parm tonight, so he's got a big block of mozzarella at home with your name on it." 

The rest of their shopping trip included dodging other wagons, grabbing the right snacks and whatever looked "yummy", before moving on the the next item on their list. 

"My beans!" Carina gasped, her jaw dropping. "Mommy, my beans! I need my beans!" 

"I have your garbanzo beans," Isabella nodded, showing her the cans in the wagon. "Do you think I'd forget those?" 

Her daughter let out a deep sigh, dramatically at that, before turning around in her seat. "Can we go now, Mommy?" she asked, as Isabella stood before her again. 

Checking her phone, Isabella found a few texts from Sonny, opening them quickly. 

 _"Can ya stop and get more diapers? And wipes?"_ the first text said. " _This kid is shittin' like crazy, Iz. At the rate she's goin', we're gonna be out of diapers by dinnertime.."_

"Yes, because we have to get more diapers and wipes for Siena," she sighed, setting her phone back into her purse. 

Carina made a face, "Si Si is gross," she muttered, as they started for one of the many lines. "Honestly Mommy, take her to the zoo. She's smelly like the monkeys." 

Isabella shook her head, "We're not sending your sister to the zoo, Carina," she said, which made the girl pout. "Babies poop and they smell while doing it. You were smelly too, at that age. Same as Evelina..." 

Ringing up and bagging the groceries, Isabella paid and pushed the wagon out to the car. "Let's get you strapped in here.." Isabella said, as she put Carina into her car seat. "We'll get sissy's diapers and wipes, and I'll stop to get you a treat.." 

"Kay," Carina said, as she sat back in her seat. "Hurry, Mommy! The car is cold!" 

Closing the door, Isabella loaded the bags int the back of the car, before pushing the wagon away. Getting into the car, she locked the doors on instinct, before starting the engine. 

"Give it a few minutes.." she said, as the heat went on. "We'll stop at the drug store at the corner and go to Dunkin?" 

"Yes!" Carina squealed, kicking her feet in excitement. "Can we gets Daddy a treat too? And Lina?" 

Pulling out of the parking space, Isabella started for the exit of the shopping center. "We can get Daddy and Lina a surprise," she promised, waiting at the light. "We have to be quick though, alright? Poor Daddy is probably going c _razy_ without us." 

.................

The normal fifteen minute drive from Rego Park to Sunnyside, took a half hour, before Isabella pulled into the driveway. Getting Carina out of the car, Isabella held her hand as they went to the back to get out the bags. 

"Now, I want you to walk slowly up the steps," Isabella said, as Carina walked ahead of her. "Hold onto the rails, baby." 

Doing what she was told, Carina took each step one at a time, before reaching the front door. Sonny, holding a cranky Evelina, stood on the other side of the door. 

"Well, well, well," he teased, holding the door open for them. "Look who decided to come home." 

"Mama! Mama!" Evelina whined, as Carina and Isabella made their way into the house.

Setting the bags down in the entryway of the house, Isabella made her way back to the door. "Had to stop and get diapers and wipes," she reminded him. "And surprises for our favorite people." 

As quickly as she came into the house, Isabella was out of it, rushing down to get the last of the groceries and treats she and Carina had picked out. 

"Daddy, I picked out special surprises cuz I was a good girl for Mommy!' the little girl squealed, jumping up and down. "I gots  _two_ doughnuts!"

"Wow! Two doughnuts?" Sonny asked, as he carried two bags into the kitchen. "Geeze, what did you and Mommy buy?" 

Closing the front door, Isabella side-stepped around the bags in the entryway, carrying the four in her one hand and the bag from Dunkin and drink tray in the other. "Plenty of stuff to get us through the week," she reported, setting everything on the table. "I might head out to my parents in the middle of the week, just to get a bigger box of diapers and wipes from the warehouse." 

Taking Evelina from Sonny, Isabella went to wash her tear stained face, while he went to get the rest of the bags. "Mommy got you a surprise, Lina beans," she cooed, as Evelina whined. "It's alright, sweetheart. We're gonna have dinner soon..." 

"I got the chicken in the oven," Sonny announced, as he set the bags on the table. "I'll do the noodles in a few minutes." 

"Can I help?" Carina asked, as he squatted down to help with her jacket and scarf. "I wanna make the noodles!" 

Sonny chuckled, "You can help," he said, setting the winter attire on the back of the chair. "Let's put this stuff away and I'll make a snack for you and Lina." 

Helping Sonny, Carina pointed out all the things she picked out. "I gots these cookies for you, Daddy," she said, shaking the box of chocolate chip cookies. "And I gots you cheese, cuz we're eye-talian." 

"Thank you, Carina," Sonny chuckled, as he set the box into the cabinet. "We can never have too much cheese in this house." 

"I blame her taste in cheeses on you," Isabella snorted. "God forbid I put swiss cheese on her sandwich for school." 

Carina made a face, "It's yucky, Mommy," she pointed out, as Sonny made the same face as her. 

"Yeah, Mommy," he parroted, as Isabella rolled her eyes. "It's yucky." 

As Isabella went to retort, the sound of Siena's cries, spilled through the baby monitor. Sonny groaned, "I literally changed and put her down, five minutes before you guys came home.." 

Grabbing the shopping bag, filled with diapers, wipes and cream, Isabella started for the stairs. "I'll go," she said. "Maybe mixing formula in with the breast milk isn't agreeing with her." 

"Then I guess ya better pump some more bottles for her," Sonny shrugged, moving the box of doughnuts to the counter. "Cut back on prep-time, when she's screamin' at three in the mornin'."

"Yeah, yeah,' Isabella mumbled, as she moved up the staircase. "I'm coming, Si Si!" 

Moving around the kitchen to get juice boxes and a snack, Sonny went to the table where the other two Carisi girls were sitting. 

"Daddy, I don't like the store Mommy goes to," Carina said, as he set a juice box in front of her. "Everyone is mean and Mommy says bad words quietly at them..." 

"Does she now," Sonny snickered, as the girl nodded. "I know. I don't like that store either, Carina." 

He took a doughnut out of the box and pulled it apart, giving Evelina a half. "We can go food shopping next weekend," he continued, as Carina pointed out her strawberry frosted doughnut. "We still need our fancy cheese, that way I can make ya ravioli's." 

The girls giggled, "Eats, Daddy," Lina demanded, as she licked her chocolate covered lips. "Eats!" 

"Alright, Lina," Sonny nodded, as he sat down at the end of the table. "But, you two better eat dinner, you hear me? Otherwise, Mommy won't buy special surprises again for us." 

"We won't tells," Carina promised, as Sonny took one of the coffee's from the tray. "Our lipses are sealed! Cases closed!" 

 


	57. grounding

Sonny stepped into the house, after a long day of work, ready for the next battle to be fought. Setting his coat in the closet, he shut and locked the door behind him, before making his way down the hallway towards the kitchen. 

"Where is she?" he asked, stepping into the room. 

"Well, hello to you too, dear," Isabella sighed, as she flipped through the magazine. "How was work?" 

Sonny fought the urge to roll his eyes, as his wife continued to read the magazine. "It was good, until I got a phone call about my daughter's behavior at school." 

She nodded slowly, "Ah, which daughter is this again?" she asked, looking up at him now. "Remember, Sonny. You have four of them." 

"Siena" 

"Well, Siena's in her room right now, already afraid that you're going to snap and smack her," Isabella started, as he turned to walk away. "Wait a second, Dominick. Let me give you the details, that I'm sure the woman in administration neglected to tell you." 

He rested his hands on the back of the chair, "I don't know how anythin' can justify the fact that my daughter bit and gave another kid a black eye, Iz," he started. 

Isabella nodded, "According to Sandra, Siena bit the other child and punched him, because he kept pinching her," she sighed. 

"Doesn't give her the right to beat a kid up!" Sonny exclaimed. "Carina and Evelina don't punch and bite their classmates, Iz. They go to the teacher and they tell them!" 

"Sonny, the boy kept pinching her butt," Isabella finally said. "He's been spoken to and written up, several times in the past, for touching the girls." 

At that, Sonny saw red. "He's done this before?" he asked, as she nodded. "And they let him stay? I'm payin' this place three-fifty a week, and they're lettin' kids run around and inappropriately touch their peers?" 

Standing up, Isabella moved to set the empty tea cup in the sink. "I said the same thing, and I was promised that the child was going to be dis-enrolled after today. Besides, Siena's got another week and a half, before summer starts. By September, she'll be in kindergarten." 

"While I'm upset that this boy was touchin' her, she can't just go around smackin' and bitin'," Sonny finally said. "She should've gone to the teacher right off the bat." 

"Just... don't be too hard on her, Sonny," Isabella shrugged. "Evelina went and told her that you were gonna give her a spanking and throw her dolls away. She's been crying on and off since we got home, so she might've cried herself to sleep." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Evelina's gonna get the wooden spoon if she keeps runnin' that mouth of hers," he warned. "Troublemaker that one. I'd never give her a spankin' for actin' out at school, unless she really hurt the kid..." 

Collecting her phone from the table, Isabella moved past him and started up the stairs. "Just.. don't give her a spanking for defending herself," she begged, as Sonny wrapped his arm around her waist. "Not all boys are raised like you were, you know. They're not going to grow up and become respectable members of society, like your parents raised you." 

"Well, hopefully I can raise my girls to be respectable young women," he sighed, moving towards Siena's room. "Wish me luck." 

.................

Siena barely survived her first week of punishment- no ice cream after dinner, no cartoons before bed and no special surprises- when Isabella caved in and snuck her a doughnut. 

Of course, Sonny found the evidence, when Siena had frosting smeared on her shirt. And Isabella played dumb, pretending to not know where it came from. 

"Iz, I wasn't born yesterday," Sonny said, rolling his eyes. "Ya gave her a doughnut, which is a special surprise, and she's not allowed to have them for another week." 

"But.. I felt bad," Isabella pouted, stomping her foot lightly. "I mean.. she looked so sad when she got in the car, Sonny. She had a rough day today..." 

He folded his arms across his chest, "How rough?" he asked. 

Isabella set the plates into the sink, "Well, she fell in the playground and scraped up her knee real bad," she started, reaching for the sponge. "Then, she woke up in the middle of her nap, screaming and crying, and peed on herself and her blankets..." 

Sonny frowned and looked to his daughter, who sat at the kitchen table with her coloring book. "What happened, Si?" he asked, reaching out to run his hand down the back of her head. 

"Bad dream," she pouted, scribbling on the picture of Cinderella. "Monsters takeded you and Mommy away from me." 

"Aw, that's not a nice dream," Sonny said, sitting in the chair next to hers. "Monsters can't take us away, Si Si. Mommy and I aren't goin' anywhere for a long, long time." 

The four and a half year old nodded slowly, blinking at him. "Hey.. you had a bad day," Sonny shrugged. "I'll let the doughnut slid this time." 

"Kay,' Siena whispered, as Sonny leaned forward to kiss the side of her head. "Can you fix my boo boo?" 

"I'll fix your boo boo," Sonny promised. "When you take a bath, I'll make sure to fix it up for ya." 

Standing from the chair, Sonny went to the fridge and took out some leftovers to eat. "I'll make exceptions for that," he started, as Isabella washed the dishes from dinner. "But... other than that? If I said no, it means no. She's grounded, Iz. She'll survive another week without privileges." 

Isabella nodded, "Alright," she mumbled. "Who knew you'd be the one to be a hardass, when it came to dishing out the punishments..." 

"That's because you cave in after a day," Sonny snorted, popping the plate into the microwave. "I'm just surprised you lasted a whole week this time.." 

............

The next time Sonny ever had to punish one of his children, it ended up being Carina. At fourteen, their eldest child was a straight-A student and setting her sights for Fordham (just like her Daddy). 

"I cannot  _believe_ you went and  _cursed_ at your teacher, Carina Rose!" Sonny yelled, as his teenaged daughter sat at her desk and sulked. "Your mother and I didn't raise you like that! To talk back to adults with such language! Where in the world did you even _hear_ that kinda language from, anyway? " 

"She's was bein' mean!" Carina yelled back, rolling her eyes. "And, you and Mommy curse all the time! You just don't think we're around to hear it, but we do! Especially from you, when you're telling Mommy about your day at work! The walls aren't paper thin, Daddy!" 

Sonny pointed at her, "Don't take that tone with me, young lady!" he warned, as Carina scoffed. "Who do you think you are?"  

Forced to leave work early, Sonny drove back into queens to pick up his daughter from her school, getting into a heated argument with the principle. Carina didn't dare to utter a word, when Sonny stormed out of the building and took the five minute drive back to the house. 

"You are grounded," Sonny started, pacing back and forth. "Three weeks. No computer, unless it's for homework. No hangin' out with Brennan, Alicia and Courtney or talkin' on the phone. Which, you will give to your mother or myself, upon comin' home from school." 

Carina gasped, "But!" she started, before he turned to glare at her. 

"If I ever have to leave work, because you decided to act anythin' but a model student, I'll make the punishment worse," he warned. "You're gettin' off here pretty easy, Carina. I could ground you for two months, instead of three weeks." 

"MRS. HOLLOWAY SAID THAT COPS WERE DIRTY AND THEY SHOULD BE KILLED!" Carina screeched suddenly. "I had to stand up to her, because you're not a dirty cop! Neither is Zia Olivia, Zia Amanda and Zio Fin!" 

Sonny blinked, "I called her a cranky old bitch, because that's what she is, Daddy!" she continued. "And when I stood up to her and defended you and my aunts and uncles, she said that you were nothing but a "loud mouth, obnoxious cop from Staten Island," and I couldn't let her get away with that!" 

"Carina..." 

Tears filled her eyes, "I'm sorry, Daddy," she said, as her bottom lip trembled. "But... I wasn't going to let her talk about you like that. And I wasn't going to let her get away with calling you guys dirty cops, because you're not dirty cops. And you shouldn't be killed for helping people, when bad guys do bad things to them!" 

By the end of her speech, Carina was in hysterics, her hands coming up to cover her face. Feeling bad about how he yelled at her, Sonny stepped forward and pulled the teen into his arms. 

"Alright, alright, calm down," he said, running his hand up and down her back. "Shhhh." 

Sobbing and dripping snot onto his shirt, Sonny held her in silence as she cried herself ragged. When she was done, Sonny moved her towards her bed and sat her down, before reaching for the box of tissues. 

"I-I'll take the punishment," she said, blowing her nose into the tissue. "But.. I don't wanna be in Mrs. Halloway's class anymore." 

"Well, I'm going to head down there on Monday and have a nice talk with the principle and this teacher," Sonny said. "And, we'll see about gettin' you out of this class. What class is this anyways?" 

Carina rubbed her eye with her fist, "AP Biology and Physiology," she sniffled. "Courtney is taking the other class, during sixth period, with another teacher." 

Sonny nodded, "Are you sure you don't wanna.. maybe drop the class?" he asked, watching as his daughter shook her head furiously. "I mean.. you're takin' all AP's this year..." 

"I need them for Fordham!" Carina exclaimed. "How am I gonna get into Fordham without those classes?" 

"Honey, you'll probably get in regardless of the AP classes," he pointed out. "Besides, I graduated from there with my law degree. You're chances of gettin' in are a bit higher, just because of that.." 

She sniffled, "I'm too smart to be in regular classes, " she mumbled, letting her ego show. "Mommy even said, I wouldn't benefit being in a regular class, because I'd be wasting my time and potential in them.." 

The one time Sonny wanted to curse his wife, for being a teacher, was now. "Fine, you can take the class," he sighed, shaking his head. "But, if I can't get ya out of the class, you're gonna have to drop it this year. Take art or somethin'..." 

"Art isn't going to do anything for Fordham," Carina mumbled, as Sonny pulled the blankets down. 

"We will figure it out," Sonny repeated. "Now, since you're punishment starts now, you can stay in here and think of how you're gonna explain this to your Mother. After that, you can either do your homework or you can start your chores..." 

Carina nodded, "Can I at least let my friends know, that they won't be able to contact me?" she asked. 

Sonny nodded, "Send out a quick message," he said, nodding to her phone. "Brennan, Court and Alicia can call the house. But! Only for emergencies and for school related issues. Or their Mom's can call Mommy to relay any messages to you. I'll charge your phone and it'll be turned off and put away, until you head to school on Monday." 

"Okay," Carina said softly as she picked up her IPhone to send out a quick message to the group chat. Once she was done, Carina handed the phone over to him. 

"You'll survive without it," he promised, seeing the look of mourning on her face. "It's amazin' what you can get done, without havin' a phone glued to your hand.." 

Pocketing the phone, Sonny bent down and kissed her forehead. "I love that you feel the urge to defend me and your family," he said. "But.. next time... go to the principle. Do not curse your teacher out." 

She gave him a small smile, "Okay," she nodded. "I love you." 

"I love ya too,  _topolina,"_ Sonny said, ruffling her hair. "Alright, I'll come check on ya soon." 

.............

"Wow," Isabella shook her head. "She  _cursed_ at the woman?" 

Sonny nodded, dropping his watch on the nightstand. "Call her an "old cranky bitch," right in the middle of the class," he sighed, shaking his head. "My kid has more balls than I do. I just sat there, shut my mouth and took whatever the teacher said to me.." 

"Times have changed," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "I.. I don't know if I can be really mad at her for this." 

"What?" Sonny frowned. "Seriously? You, bein' a teacher, cannot be mad about this?" 

Isabella shook her head, "From what I've heard within the Mommy groups... this woman is a monster," she sighed. "And, you know Carina's insanely smart, right?" 

Sonny nodded, "This woman is constantly taking points off her exams and papers for silly things," she continued. "It's bad enough, that Fin took her most recent exam to your medical examiner to get a second look, and even she confirmed that Carina should've gotten at least a ninety-eight..." 

"What did she get?" 

"A eighty-eight." 

He scoffed, "That's better than a fifty-eight," Sonny pointed out, much to his wife's amusement. 

Isabella shook her head, "This is Carina we're talking about, Sonny," she reminded him. "She's a perfectionist. Hell, she's made me proofread and fact check her papers and essays since the sixth grade. I can only imagine what she'll be like, once she starts college." 

"Yeah, well.." he sighed, moving to lay down under the blankets. "I think she put herself up for a future meltdown, takin' all these classes. She's only fourteen and in her freshman year.." 

"She's always been serious about her education," she yawned. "And she wants to be a lawyer like you and Rafael, even though you're still working at SVU." 

Turning the lights out, Isabella moved and snuggled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, well.." he sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. 

Isabella placed her hand against his chest, "Hopefully, it's a one time thing," she offered. "At least it was just cursing, Sonny. Compared to what the other girls do to each other? Or how Theo threw a block at Ellie, the night before picture day, leaving that bruise on her cheek?" 

"It's still not right," Sonny yawned. "Yeah, she didn't use her hands and feet. But she still cursed at an adult. You realize what this makes  _us_ look like?" 

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Sonny," Isabella said, patting his chest lightly. "It's done and over with. Can't go back in time and keep her from doing it, as much as you want." 

Shifting under the blankets, Sonny sighed deeply. "I guess," he muttered, dropping a kiss against her forehead. "Man, Amanda and Fin are gonna  _love_ this. Especially since I haven't responded to their messages, after I rushed out of work to pick her up." 

 


	58. Thanksgiving Dinner

"Si, Si, you cannot wear your Ursula leggings," Isabella said, as she set a tray into the oven. "I picked out your clothes for dinner. Daddy's gotta get you in teh bath, so you can wear them. 

The three year old whined, stomping her foot against the tiled floor. "No, Mommy!" 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella moved to grab another mixing bowl out of the cabinet, just as Sonny came into the kitchen. 

"Hey, I found Siena!' he cheered, as Evelina giggled from behind him. "Come on, baby doll. It's time for a bath." 

"No, Daddy! No bath!" Siena pouted, as Isabella checked on the turkey in the oven. "I wanna wear my 'eggins!" 

Sonny nodded, "Yeah, the brown ones that Mommy picked out," he said, which made the three year old whine again. "Iz, what's she talkin' about?" 

His wife sighed, "Her Ursula ones," she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "The ones that Maman bought her for her birthday." 

"Alright, so let her wear them," he shrugged. "Who cares what she's wearin' as long as she's wearin' clothes!" 

"But the pictures!" 

"Iz, we have plenty of pictures of the kids," Sonny reasoned. "Let her be." 

Giving in, Isabella waved them off, so she could get back to cooking. With both sides of the family coming in from Long Island and Staten Island, there was still so much that needed to be done. Luckily, Sonny had woken up early to get the turkey in the oven and the chilled appetizers ready and in the fridge. With Noelle and Angela bringing their own family dishes and the sweets, Isabella had a break in the cooking and preparing. 

And being that she was five and a half months pregnant, Sonny wanted to make the holiday's easier for her; between morning sickness, dizziness and horrible aches and pains, the idea of having his wife host an entire holiday, drove him mad. 

Setting the pan of stuffing into the oven, Isabella washed her hands in the sink, before drying them off with a dish towel. With most of the food either in the oven or waiting in the fridge, Isabella moved to sit at the table. 

Fifteen minutes went by, when the girls came rushing downstairs in their underwear. 

"Guys! Seriously?!" Sonny shouted, as they giggled. "We gotta get dressed!" 

"Mommy! Can we eat now?" Carina asked

"FOOD! FOOD!" Evelina cheered, jumping up and down. "TURKEY TIME!" 

Sonny appeared in the doorway of the dining room, a dress over one shoulder and a pair of Ursula leggings over the other. 

"Ladies, you need to get dressed," he said, as the girls giggled. "As soon as we're dressed, we can have food." 

Siena nodded, "Dress me, Daddy," she said, moving to him. "Ursee 'eggin's!" 

Picking her up, Sonny gave a look to the other two, which made them rush out of the dining room and towards the stairs. Snorting, Sonny turned and looked at Isabella with a smirk. 

"Works every time," he said, which made her giggle. "I'll be back so you can go shower, alright?" 

"Sounds good," Isabella said, giving him a tired smile. 

................

The house was filled with the smell of food and the noise of family; the girls screeching and squealing, as the adults laughed and drank the various offerings that were set in the kitchen. 

"Everything is Italian," Noelle said, eyeing the serving dishes and bowls. 

"Because we're Italian," Sonny said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't worry, Frenchie. We got ya French cheeses and Iz made some French dish that only you two will probably eat..." 

Carina giggled, "Daddy made cheesy mushrooms," she said, as Sonny set a bowl of bruschetta in the middle of a platter with bread. "Those are my favorite." 

Her grandmother smiled at her, "Did you help your Father cook?" she asked, as Carina nodded furiously. 

"Wouldn't take no for an answer," Sonny snickered. "My girl loves to help cook, Frenchie. She's my honest taste tester, since Iz always says everythin' needs more cheese or less salt." 

"Because all that salt will kill you!" Isabella said from the dining room. 

The seven year old sighed, "I wanna be a chef when I'm grown up,' she said, resting her elbows on the counter. "But, I also want to be a law lady like Daddy." 

"A police officer?" Noelle asked. 

Carina shook her head, "No, a law lady!" she said. "I get a special bag for all my law papers and say "cases closed!" 

"A lawyer," Sonny said, smiling at his little girl. "Ever since she came with me to Rafael's office, when she was three, she's been hellbent on wantin' to be a lawyer." 

At that moment, Antonio popped into the kitchen with Evelina on his hip, carrying an empty cup in hand. "Alright, we'll get ya juice," he said, as Evelina cried. "Ya gotta be more careful, when you have a cup in hand. Your Mommy said to sit down at the table.." 

Evelina continued to fuss, as Antonio filled the glass up with juice again, while Sonny picked up the first tray. 

"Let's start feedin' everyone," he said, as Noelle picked up another tray. "Otherwise, I'll have hungry children, rippin' my house apart." 

..................

With the food settling in their bellies, the kids were sent to watch a movie upstairs in Carina and Evelina's room, while the adults moved from the dining room to the living room. 

"So, what are your plans for the weekend?" Bella asked, as she sipped from her wine. "Any shoppin'?" 

"Nah, I got work tomorrow night," Sonny shrugged. "Frenchie's gonna hang out with Iz and the girls, since they're off from school." 

Isabella nodded, as she shifted on Sonny's lap. "Besides, I have a few things set to order on Amazon for the kids," she shrugged. "But, I don't have a full list of what they want." 

Sonny winced, "They really don't need a lot," he said, as the others snickered. "They've got enough toys and clothes..." 

"Ahh, but they're growin' girls," Dominick shrugged. "And, you's got the baby to get prepared for! 

"We're still working on the registry," Isabella promised, looking at Sonny. "We're still debating on if we want to know the sex now or later." 

Siena made her way downstairs and into the dining room, launching herself onto her Nonno's lap. "What are you doin' down here?" Dominick asked. "Aren't you watchin' a movie with the others?" 

She shook her head, thumb nestled in her mouth. " "Ungry," she mumbled, around the digit. 

"Ah, she's just like her Father," Angela laughed. "A belly full of food and he could never stop eatin'." 

"Soon, baby doll," Sonny promised, as Siena yawned. "We'll have cookies soon and then you're gonna go to bed." 

"Who picked out that outfit?" Noelle asked, eyeing the Ursula leggings and hot pink shirt that clashed horribly together. 

The three year old giggled, as she lifted her leg up in the air. "My "eggins!" she squealed, which earned her a round of laughter. 

Isabella sighed, "I had another outfit picked out, but she wanted to wear that," she shrugged. "Sonny picked out the shirt I guess..." 

"It was the only thing I could get my hands on, since she wanted to run around the room like a maniac," he retorted, as Siena babbled to herself. "Besides, we're runnin' low on clothes. Laundry day is tomorrow and I plan on doin' it all before I go to work." 

"Or, I can do it with Maman," Isabella said, nudging him lightly. "I'm pregnant, not invalid. I can fold clothes and put them away.." 

Sonny nodded, as he rubbed her back. "I know ya can, I just want ya to be relaxin' tomorrow," he pointed out. "This entire weekend for that matter.." 

There was a snort, as Bella sat back in her chair. "How can anyone relax, when you've got three kids runnin' about?" she asked. "I have two and I can barely get anythin' done." 

"Do you really want me to answer that for ya?" Sonny asked, making a face at her. 

"Kids..."Dominick warned, eyeing his two children. "C'mon, we got lucky with Gina and Reese doin' their thing tonight. I figured you two wouldn't be the ones bickerin'." 

From upstairs, there was a stamped of feet rushing down the hallway, before they stomped down the stairs. 

"CAKE! CAKE! CAKE!" the girls shouted, as they swarmed the table. 

"Cookies, Daddy!" Evelina cried, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Can we have cookies now?" 

He chuckled, "Let's put water on for hot coco," he said. "And we'll use the potty, before we get the cookies and cakes out.." 

Helping her up to her feet, Sonny stood up and stretched his arms up and over his head, before bringing them down on Isabella's shoulders. "What do you want to drink? Tea or hot coco?" 

"Tea," she said, leaning her head back to smile at him. "Lemon." 

"Kay," he nodded, dropping down to kiss her. "Sit and relax. I'll get the kids changed and we'll set up the food.." 

Easing down in the vacated chair, Isabella watched as the girls followed Sonny like a pack of ducklings out into the hallway. 

"Thank god for him," Noelle said, as she stood up from the table. "I don't know how you would do all of this, if your didn't have Sonny." 

"I'd never have to host a holiday or a party again," Isabella said. "That would be all you, Maman." 

.............

Long after the in-laws left, taking leftovers with them, Sonny and Isabella wrangled up their girls and got them into bed. 

"How are you feelin'?" Sonny asked, as Isabella lounged on their bed. "Feelin' good?" 

"Yeah," Isabella yawned, as Sonny took her aching feet onto his lap. "Just tired. And my feet hurt a bit..." 

He nodded, "Well, Frenchie should be here by nine-thirty," he said, pressing is thumb into the arch of her foot. "She's gonna let ya sleep, while we get the girls fed and entertained for the mornin'." 

"Hmm, you should try to sleep during the day too, baby," she said. "You've got that overnight thing and I need you awake, so that you come home in one whole piece." 

"I'll be fine," he insisted, moving his hand to her ankle. "It's you that I worry about, bein' pregnant and dealin' with those three terrors." 

Isabella yawned again, "Why do you think Maman is coming tomorrow?" she asked. "She'll probably rearrange the entire house, while I'm asleep.." 

Sonny snorted, "She's plannin' on makin' stuff with the turkey," he shrugged. "Probably somethin' French, knowin' her." 

"Hmm, you should be more adventurous," Isabella said, sighing deeply. "Not all French food is gross, Sonny. We've been together for ten years and I've never made anything you didn't like." 

"That's because you don't drown everythin' in onions and butter," he retorted, moving his hand up to her knee. "How Tony hasn't had a heart attack yet, is a friggin' miracle." 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella shifted against the pillows, "Are you ready for bed?" he asked her, after a few minutes. "You look so sleepy, baby." 

She nodded, as Sonny gave her foot a light squeeze. "Okay, let's get you tucked in," Sonny said, as he stood up. "I'll head downstairs to clean up.." 

Getting her under the heavy blanket, Sonny tucked her in up to her chin, chuckling. "Comfy?" he asked her, as she yawned again. 

"Yeah," she mumbled, as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Don't take too long, Sonny. Wanna cuddle." 

"I won't," he promised. "Just rest your eyes." 

Isabella gave him a sleepy smile, "I'm so thankful for you," she said, as the exhaustion really kicked in at that point. "So thankful." 

He smiled at her, "I'm thankful too," he nodded. "For you and for our children. No matter how crazy they drive us..." 

"Crazy kids," Isabella mumbled, as Sonny continued to stroke her hair. "Hmm..." 

As she dozed off, Sonny quietly got up from the bed, and made his way out of the room. Checking in on the girls, Sonny made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. Seeing the pile of dishes in the sink, Sonny rolled up his sleeves and got to work, loading them into the dishwasher. Taking out the trash and making sure everything was locked up for the night, Sonny quickly fed the cats, who came out of hiding finally, before heading back upstairs. 

Changing into a pair of sleep bottoms, Sonny climbed into bed next to Isabella, pulling the blankets up to his waist. As soon as his head hit the pillow, Isabella's was on his chest, snoring deeply in his ear. Minding her belly, Sonny shifted against her, wrapping his arm around her waist. And, while his shoulder started to go numb and Isabella drooled on him, Sonny didn't have the heart to move her.

Thankful for the day, spending it with his family, Sonny drifted off to sleep shortly after that. 


	59. homework woes

"Daddy, I don't wanna do my homework," Evelina pouted, as she squatted on the chair. "I wanna go play!" 

The kitchen table had been covered with notebooks, workbooks and worksheets, as Carina, Evelina and Siena sat around the table. Having a rare Wednesday night off, Sonny took up homework duty, so that Isabella could rest upstairs. It had been a month since Ellie came into the world, her delivery being a traumatic one at that. Still recovering, having lost so much blood and her energy during the delivery, Sonny made sure to have his wife resting at all times. 

"Honey, I know you don't wanna do this, but ya have to," Sonny said, as he reviewed Siena's worksheets. "Homework is important. It's to make sure you remember everythin' you learned for the day." 

"I like my homework, Daddy," Carina said, as she did her math equations. "Ms. Rios gives us fun worksheets and I gets to draw in my journal!" 

Out of the three, Carina was the easiest to get at the table for homework. It was very rare for her to throw a tantrum over homework, unless she was really sick or over-tired. Siena was still new to the homework routine, having only started pre-school five months previously. Her attention was all over the place, unless Sonny or Isabella sat down with her to make sure she stayed on task. 

But Evelina. At six, Evelina wanted  _nothing_ to do with homework. For her, it took up playtime and television time, which was just  _awful_ in the world of Evelina Marie Carisi. Even bribery didn't work, as her parents offered cookies, toys or an extra half hour of cartoons before bed. 

"You guys have it easy, ya know?" Sonny said, as he took the offered workbook from Carina. "Wait until you get to college. That's when the homework gets harder and longer. 

"I'm not going to college," Evelina said, scowling. "I hate school." 

Her older sister rolled her eyes, "I'm going to college," she said, as Sonny skimmed through her math problems. "I'm going to Daddy's school, so I can work with him and Zio Rafi when I'm grown up!" 

Evelina stuck her tongue out at her, "Stop bein' mean to me, Rina!" she whined, as Siena giggled. ""Mommy says it's not nice to be mean." 

"Girls, enough," Sonny said, holding his hand up. "Just.. finish your homework, so that we can get ready for bed."

"Can you read a story?" Siena asked, as he packed up her book bag. " _Pweeeeaseeeee?"_

Sonny nodded, "I'll read a story," he promised, as Carina finished the last of her work. "But, Lina needs to get her butt in gear. Let's go, little miss! If you don't finish your homework, Mr. Walsh is gonna be very upset tomorrow. You already lost two stickers this week and it's only Wednesday!" 

...............

High school proved to be a test, as Sonny tried to help his kids through it. He was good at giving advice when it came to bullying and helping in subjects he was good at; basic math and literature. But when Carina decided to enroll herself into AP classes, her freshman year, Sonny was at a total loss. The answers that he thought were right, were actually wrong. 

"But... what?" Sonny frowned, as he looked up from the textbook. "How.. how is this the right answer? How did the book even  _get_ this answer?" 

Carina sighed, "Daddy, it's  _Advanced Placement,"_ she said, as if it was the most simplest reason. "It's not like that baby math that Lina and Si Si do for school." 

"Don't be a snob, Carina," Evelina sneered, as she worked on her science homework. "You're just taking all those classes to show off." 

"It's not my fault you lack interest in school," Carina shot back. "I mean.. you could be getting A's, but instead you rather hand in work that you do last minute.." 

The girls continued to bicker, before Sonny put an end to it. "ENOUGH!" he yelled, startling the three of them. "God, can't we get through a day without the three of you screamin' at each other?" 

The locks sounding in the door, made the girls perk up, as Isabella's voice filled the house, along with Theo and Ellie. "Well, I hope this enough poster board for your project,' she said, as the younger Carisi's babbled. "Mommy doesn't want to see a craft store for a while." 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Theo squealed, as he rushed over to Sonny's side. 

"Hey, buddy!" Sonny chuckled, pulling the boy onto his lap. "How was school?" 

Theo grinned at him, missing teeth and all, "It was fun, Daddy! I gots to paint and I gots to feed Pinto!" he giggled, as Sonny tickled him. 

Sonny gasped, "Wow, that's awesome!" he said, giving the boy a kiss on the forehead as he set him down on the floor. "Hey there, Ellie Belly!"

"Hi, Daddy!" she smiled, as he leaned over to kiss her cheek. 

"Did you guys get everythin' at the craft store?" he asked, as his wife came into the dining room. "Wow... Mommy got a lot of stuff, huh?" 

Isabella scowled, "I hate these big projects," she mumbled, setting the poster board on an empty chair. "Why does a six year old, need to do a science fair project? The girls didn't do them until they were in middle school!" 

Sonny shrugged, "You know me, Iz," he said, running his hand through his hair. "I just help with the homework where I can. I don't read up on the curriculum..." 

"Mommy, I can help Ellie with her science project," Carina said, turning around in her chair. 

"Show-off," Evelina mumbled. 

Whirrling around, Carina threw her pencil at the younger girl. "SHUT UP, LINA!" she shouted, as Evelina gasped. 

"NO YOU!" Evelina shouted back, chucking her notebook at Carina. 

"Hey!" Isabella yelled, as Sonny stood up quickly from his chair. 

"ENOUGH!" he bellowed, making them all jump. "Goddamnit, the two of ya! Every single day, ya both rile each other up for no reason!" 

Carina pouted, "She started it!" she cried, pointing to her sister. "She's always got something to say, Daddy! I just offered to help Ellie with her project, and Lina had to make a comment!" 

Taking off her jacket, Isabella dropped it on the back of a chair. "I want the three of you to finish your homework and start your chores," she said, which made them protest. "I don't care that it's Friday. You still have responsibilities, before you can go and have fun."

"Daddy, I'm hungry," Theo pouted as he dropped his backpack near the sliding door. 

"Alright, let's get you and Ellie Belly a snack," he said, moving away from the table. "What do ya guys want?" 

As Sonny helped the two youngest children with snacks, Isabella looked at her two eldest children. "Enough with the fighting," she said, in her warning tone. "Otherwise, the two of you will sit in your rooms all weekend long." 

"Sorry Mommy," Carina and Evelina said in unison, as they tucked their noses back into their homework. 

................

"Carina..." Sonny started, as he stood in the doorway of her bedroom. "You...you wrote this?" 

Carina looked up from her laptop with a frown, before spotting the paper in his hand. "Yeah," she nodded. "For my Family Law class.." 

Sonny stepped further into her bedroom, looking down at the rough draft of her mid-term paper. "Sweetheart," he started, shaking his head. "This.. this is amazin'." 

"Really?" she asked, surprised. "I feel like it's too much..." 

"Which means you've utilized everythin' your professor gave you," Sonny pointed out, as he sat down on the edge of her bed. "Carina, this is a paper you would hand in to finish your program. You're only in your first year of undergrad, your first semester, and you're writin' as if you're in your third year at law school!"

She blushed at that point, "Well.. I mean.. you've been helping me with this stuff," she shrugged. "And Zio Rafi's been helping me too, when you're busy on cases at work." 

Sonny nodded, "I think you might be a better student than I was," he admitted. "I worked hard, of course, at the academy and law school. But not as hard as you are." 

"You know, there's a chance I may never practice law, let alone get into law school," Carina pointed out. "There are people smarter than me, Daddy." 

"Nah, you're gonna be the DA of New York," Sonny shook his head. "I can see it now, Rina. You're gonna blow 'em all away with your smarts.." 

" _Dadddyyy!"_ she whined, embarrassed now. 

He snorted, "I'm very proud of ya, Carina," he said seriously. "And you shouldn't doubt yourself either. Once you get your bachelor's and apply to the law program at Fordham, I know for a fact that you'll get in." 

Standing, Sonny leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Don't stay up to late, alright? We're goin' to the pumpkin farm tomorrow, since Siena, Ellie and Theo have been drivin' your mother and I crazy with it for weeks." 

"I won't," Carina promised, as she went back to her computer. "Night, Daddy." 

"Night, sweetheart," Sonny smiled at her. "I love you." 

Carina looked up and gave him a small smile, "Love you, too." 

Closing the door behind him, Sonny moved to check in on Siena, Evelina, Ellie, who were all camping together in Siena and Ellie's room. Seeing that they were all asleep, Sonny quietly went next door to check on Theo. 

Seeing that all his children were in bed, asleep or halfway there, Sonny made his way downstairs to find Isabella taking clothes out of the dryer. 

"All asleep?" she asked, shaking a towel out, before folding it. 

"All but Carina," he sighed, wrapping his arms around he waist. "She's doin' somethin' on the computer for school.." 

Isabella hummed, "Probably research for that history paper that's due in two weeks," she sighed. "She's been asking me for some ideas, which I gave her. So.. I'm sure she'll have a rough draft ready for me to proofread and fact check by Monday." 

He snorted, "She gave me her Family Law mid-term to read," he said. "And it's friggin' amazing, Iz. She's gonna be an amazin' lawyer one day; better than what I could've been." 

"Ah, I think you're a great lawyer," Isabella said, turning to look at him. "I mean.. granted you're looking to take the exam to become lieutenant. But, when you do step into the court room with Rafael? Or when we watch those police dramas and you fact check every single detail? I'm kinda glad you stayed with SVU all these years, because the idea of you in a court room is just way too sexy." 

"Kids are asleep, Iz," Sonny grinned. "Let's leave all this for tomorrow night and go to bed." 

Setting the towel into the basket, Isabella smirked at him. "To bed, Mr. Carisi?" she teased, as his arms snaked around her waist. "Really? It's not even eleven!" 

He silence her with a kiss, "You know what I mean," he said softly, as Isabella smiled at him. 

"Yeah," ISabella nodded. "I do." 

 


	60. surprise visit

"Food should be here soon," Sonny announced, as Isabella made her way out of his bedroom. "Waitin' for the Netflix to warm up, so we can start our long weekend." 

She giggled, "Our long weekend of food, entertainment and sex," she sighed, as Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist; his hands moving to rest on her hips. "How you managed to get a three day weekend off is a miracle, Sonny. It's four-thirty and you're phone has been silent, save a few texts from Bella and your Mother." 

"That's because I'm on the "do not call" list," he said, as they swayed slowly. "I've pulled so much overtime, that this is mandatory time off. Can't have overtired detectives workin' the streets, ya know." 

Isabella giggled, as his hands moved up and under the shirt she wore, settling long the waistband of her panties. "Hmm, yet you're not going to get any rest this weekend," she teased. "Especially if I'm around.." 

Leading her backwards towards the sofa, Sonny pushed her down lightly, before laying out on top of her. "Yeah, but the last time we were together, was last week," he said, pressing lips against hers. "I've missed ya, Iz." 

"I've missed you too," she said softly, as Sonny's lips trailed along her cheek and down her neck. "How long til the food comes?" 

"Hmmm, fifteen minutes," Sonny mumbled, as his hands pushed the shirt up. "Maybe more, dependin' on how long it takes to make ya spring rolls." 

HIs lips found the waistband of her panties, making Isabella gasp quietly, as he brushed a kiss against her skin. "Wanna fool around?" Isabella whispered, as her hand came down to rest against the back of his head. 

Sonny grinned up at her, as both hands moved to her hips; his fingers curling under the elastic band. "Think we got the time?" he asked, as Isabella moaned lightly. 

"Won't know unless you shut that mouth and put it to good use..." 

........................

Isabella managed to pull her panties back up to her hips, when a knock sounded on the door. 

"Food!" Isabella squealed, as she quickly brushed her hair back. "I'll get it!" 

"Wallet is on the counter!" Sonny called from the bathroom. "Don't over-tip them this time, Iz!" 

Giggling, Isabella grabbed his wallet off the kitchen counter and made her way down the hallway towards the front door. Unlatching the chain, she twisted the locks and pulled the door open, as she opened Sonny's wallet to get out the cash. 

"How much do I owe ya?" she said, before glancing up. "Oh... you're... you're not Chinese food." 

Standing before her, a blonde woman holding a little baby in her arms, stared back at Isabella with a mix of shock and curiosity. "No... can't say that I am," she said, her Southern accent rich with questioning. "Uh.. is Carisi home?" 

Isabella blinked, glancing between the sleeping baby and the woman's face, as footsteps sounded behind her. "Babe, what's takin' so long?" Sonny asked. "There should be at least thirty bucks in there to cover the food." 

He then stopped behind her, "What's wrong?" he asked, as he pulled the door open a bit wider. "Oh! Amanda! Hey!" 

"I thought it was the food.." Isabella said, as Sonny placed his hands on her shoulders. "I-didn't.. I.." 

"I was just in the neighborhood," Amanda said, giving them a warm smile. "Wanted to see if Carisi was free for a walk and some coffee, but I see he's otherwise busy.." 

Sonny nodded, "This is Iz-" he started. "Isabella." 

Amanda smiled, "Nice to meet you, Isabella," she said, sincere; though, her face said it all.  _What the hell's going on here?_

"Nice to meet you as well," Isabella said, as the baby began to fuss. 

"Shhh, it's alright," Amanda cooed to the infant, bouncing slightly at the knees, as she patted the baby's back. "Sorry. Rough night with her.." 

The couple nodded, "Anyways, I'll leave ya to it," Amanda said. "See ya on Monday, Carisi." 

Saying goodbye, Sonny ushered Isabella back into the apartment and shut the door behind him. "Iz," he started, as she walked away from him. "Isabella!" 

"I should go," she said quickly, searching for her clothes. 

"What? Why?" he frowned, as she found her pants under the coffee table. "We had plans, babe. Netflix and food. And sex!" 

Isabella scoffed at that, turning to glare at him. "Sex? You think I want to have sex with you now?" she asked, which made him flinch in shock. "Meanwhile, you've got a kid with some... Georgia Peach, who comes knocking on your door for a "walk and coffee'?" 

Sonny blinked, "How stupid do you think I am, Sonny?" Isabella asked, frowning. "What? Did you like the fact that I was a vulnerable victim? That I was an easy lay?" 

"Iz... Amanda and I work together," he said, as she continued to search for her clothes. "The.. the baby isn't even mine." 

"Oh, don't!" Isabella cried, as her search for her bra failed. "I'm not a fucking moron, Sonny!" 

Storming through the apartment, Sonny quickly followed after her, grabbing her as she went to step into the bathroom. "Isabella! Stop!" he said firmly, as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "Would ya just listen to me?" 

Isabella scoffed, "Two minutes," she hissed, folding her arms across her chest. 

"Amanda works with me at SVU,' he started. "Jessie is her kid, which she had with this guy who does undercover a lot." 

"Does she always come to your place?" Isabella asked, still angry and upset. "Just like that, with her kid?" 

Sonny snorted, "Well I mean.. Jesse's my goddaughter," he shrugged. "I have three of them, so I'd hope that their parents would let me see them once in a while.." 

At that, Isabella wilted. "Baby, I promise ya," Sonny said, his hands cupping her face. "I don't have any baby mamas or secret kids out there. If I did, I'd be the responsible man that my Ma raised me to be, takin' part in their upbrinin'." 

"So... you never slept with her?" Isabella asked, feeling ashamed at how jealous she had become. 

"With Amanda?" Sonny scoffed. "Fuck no! She's like a mean older sister, which I have two of, to me. And.. I'm not too keen on incest, babe. I like my women unrelated to me, with unruly red hair and can speak more languages than I encounter at work." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. "And besides," Sonny continued, as he wrapped his arms around her. "I already know who I want to have kids with." 

"You do?" 

Sonny nodded, "We've been together for almost a year, Iz," he shrugged. "Can't imagine livin' the rest of my life without ya." 

At that, Isabella melted into his arms, burying her face into the front of his shirt. "I'm so  _sorry,"_ she mumbled, as her hands gripped at the cotton. "I acted like a stupid, jealous, bitchy child just now." 

"It's alright," Sonny chuckled, as he ran his hands up and down her back. "I'd be in your position too, if some guy came knockin' on your door. I'll make it up to ya later, though..."  

Another knock sounded at the door, making Isabella groan. "I'll go," Sonny chuckled, dropping a kiss against the top of her head. "Besides, you shouldn't be answerin' the door in your panties, Iz." 

She scowled, "You didn't complain the last time I greeted you at the door," she reminded him, as Sonny grabbed his wallet from her hand. 

"Yeah, but that's because I called you ahead of time," he reminded her, heading to the door. "And, I'm the only one that you should be greetin' at the door like that." 

..............

On Monday, after a long weekend of doing nothing but eating, making a dent in their shared Netflix list and having sex, Sonny was back at work. Fifteen minutes after clocking in, he and Amanda were sent off to question a witness. 

"Don't come back until you get something," Liv warned, as Amanda grabbed the keys to the cruiser. "Barba's already on my ass about the lack of evidence." 

It took less than five minutes into the drive, before Amanda was asking questions. "So..." she started, smirking at her friend. "Do you normally have girls answerin' your door, wearin' nothin' but your law school shirts and panties?" 

Sonny scoffed, "No," he shot back, as Amanda turned at the corner. "And I don't just have random girls at my place, Amanda." 

"Ahh, so you travel around," she nodded slowly. 

"No," Sonny shook his head slowly. "Iz is my girlfriend..." 

Amanda glanced at him quickly, before setting her eyes back on the road. "Girlfriend?" she repeated back, shocked at the revelation. "Since.. since when have you had a girlfriend?" 

"Since April," he said casually. 

Amanda stomped on the breaks hard, making Sonny grunt, as his back hit the seat hard. "Jesus Christ, Amanda!" he yelled. "Can we get to this place in one piece!?" 

"Sorry, sorry," Amanda said quickly, as she resumed driving. "Just.... April? Eight months and you never told anyone? You didn't think to tell me? I thought we were friends, Sonny!" 

"We are friends," Sonny insisted. "Look, I've been meanin' to tell you and the squad about Iz. But, I only met her parents this past September and she met mine in July. There's a lot of stuff in her past and.." 

His friend glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Look, all I can say is that this is a serious relationship," he said. "I love her, Amanda." 

"Wow," Amanda said gently, as they waited at the red light. 

"So... can you please just keep it to yourself?" Sonny finally asked, turning to look at her. "I'm gonna set up somethin' soon, so that you can all meet her and get to know her." 

Amanda nodded, "You're serious about her?" she asked, watching as her friend's face went from serious and anxious to what a man in love would look like. 

Sonny nodded, "Yeah," he said, smiling as he turned his attention back to the road ahead of them. "I am, Amanda. She's the love of my life." 

Seeing him in such a state; so in love and genuinely happy, made her happy. Protective over him, knowing that Sonny was one to deal with heartbreak that well, but happy that he had found someone to make him so happy. 

"Alright, I won't say a word," Amanda promised, as she resumed driving. "But, this doesn't mean I'm gonna stop bustin' your chops about her. And teasin' ya about you bein' a lovesick puppy." 

"I wouldn't expect anythin' different," Sonny snorted, as his phone buzzed in his pocket. 

As Sonny's fingers danced against the screen of his phone, Amanda slowed the car as they reached their destination. "Ya know," she started, as she parked along the curb. "FOr the longest time, I seriously thought you were gay." 

Sonny spluttered, nearly dropping the phone to the floor."What?" he asked, his head turning sharply towards her. "Why?" 

"Well, for starters, you were always keen on workin' alone with Barba," she started, unbuckling the seatbelt. "And then, you started dressin' like him, after you shadowed him for those coupla weeks." 

"That's because he told me my suits were ugly," Sonny said, as they climbed out of the car. "And, I need the experience in the courtroom, if I'm ever gonna be a lawyer." 

Amanda nodded, as she looked at his tie; royal blue with thin silver stripes going diagonally across the silk. "Who picked out that tie?" she asked, as they started towards the apartment building. 

Sonny looked down at the tie, which looked sharp with the crisp white button down and grey slacks. "Iz," he shrugged. "She saw it at store and thought of me." 

"How cheesy," Amanda teased. "But, I'll be honest. Girl's got taste, Sonny." 

 


	61. No Sleep Tonight

"Jesus... IZ!" Sonny shouted, as Evelina continued to screech in his face. "Lina, Lina, it's alright!" 

As quickly as she left the bedroom, she was back, holding a bottle of cough syrup in one hand and a thermometer in another. Sitting on their bed, Sonny held a screeching Evelina on his lap, while a crying Carina stood up on the mattress next to him. 

"What the?" she shook her head, looking from her two and a half year told, to her husband and six month old. "I just walked out of the room and they weren't crying! What's wrong?" 

"Other than bein' sick?" Sonny asked, as Evelina continued to screech. "Shit shit herself, Iz. Through the diaper and everythin', which means into the bath she goes." 

Setting everything down on the dresser, Isabella moved around the bed and took the infant from him, stepping back so Sonny could get up. "My poor baby," Isabella cooed, as she pressed a kiss against Evelina's warm forehead. "I'll take her temperature again, see if it went up..." 

Nodding, Sonny moved across the bed and scooped Carina up in his arms, letting her rest agains his hip. "C'mon you," he sighed, as Carina cried. "Let's get an ice pop. All that screamin' isn't gonna help ya throat,  _topolina."_

"Let's get you cleaned up and see what's going on," Isabella said, as she took the thermometer off the dresser. "My poor babies." 

Taking Evelina back into the bathroom, Isabella grabbed a towel off the rack and laid it out on the counter, before setting Evelina down. "Alright, let's see what we got," she murmured, as she placed the device into her ear. 

At that, Evelina wailed louder, shaking her head about, as Isabella tried to hold her still. "Shhh, I know you don't like this part," Isabella said, as Evelina wiggled and kicked at her. "But, Mommy needs to know how hot you are!" 

"I know you don't feel good," she heard Sonny say, as he walked the halls with Carina. "You'll take your medicine and go to sleep, that way you can rest and get better." 

The thermometer beeped and Isabella removed it from Evelina's ear, turning it over to read the digital screen. "Shit!" she hissed, "SONNY!" 

In an instant, Sonny was in the doorway of the bathroom, holding Carina on his hip. "What's wrong?" he asked, as Carina suckled on the ice pop from it's plastic sleeve. 

"102.4," Isabella said, handing the thermometer out to him. "I.. I think we should take her to the hospital. This is too high, especially for a six month old." 

"Christ, okay," Sonny nodded. "You take Carina and pack up the diaper bag and get dressed..." 

Doing just that, Sonny took Evelina and started changing her soiled outfit. "Pack extra diapers and wipes too!" he shouted, as he reached under the sink for the stash they kept there. "Alright,  _patatina._ Let's get ya cleaned up and we'll take ya to the doctor." 

Quickly, the coupled moved about the apartment, getting the kids and themselves ready, bundling the kids up despite it being mid-April. Once they were ready, Sonny loaded them into the car and took the drive to New York Presbyterian in Flushing. Checking in at the desk, a nurse took Evelina's stats before getting them back into the ER. 

"A nurse will be here shortly," she said, before heading back out to the front. 

Sitting down with Evelina, Sonny slowly rocked her in his arms, as she cried. "What if it's somethin' really bad," he whispered. 

"Don't think like that," Isabella said, despite the worry that filled her. "Kids get sick, Sonny. The doctor diagnosed with her an ear infection the other day. He did say that diarrhea is also common with that..." 

Still not sold on it, Sonny tapped his foot against the floor, anxiously watching as nurses, doctors and patients walked back and forth. By the time a nurse arrived, Evelina was still crying and Carina was watching quietly from her perch in Isabella's arms. 

"Let's get an IV in this little one, so we can start hydrating her," the nurse said, after taking her temperature and information from Sonny and Isabella. "I'll also take some blood as well..." 

Laying her in the hospital crib, Sonny watched with a pained expression on his face, as Evelina was poked and prodded by needles. The little screamed louder, if it were even possible at that moment, as the nurse carefully inserted the IV into her hand. 

"Shhhh,  _patatina,"_ Sonny cooed, running his hand along the top of her head. "Shhh, it's almost over." 

Taking four vials of blood quickly, the nurse set the vials onto the cart and removed the needles. "The doctor will be here in a bit to take a look at her," she said, putting a hot pink bandaid on Evelina's IV free hand. "Is there anything I can get you guys, before I drop this off at the lab? How about an ice pop for this little cutie?" 

Before her parents could protest, Carina lifted her head up and looked at the woman. "Pops," she lisped, her nose runny. "Pops, pwease." 

"They're sugar free," the woman promised, as she smiled. "I'll be back in a sec with your pop, sweetheart." 

"Well.. that was horrible," Sonny murmured, as he leaned against the crib railing. "Pure torture for someone so small and innocent." 

Isabella sighed, as she sat in the other chair with Carina on her lap. "She'll forget about it shortly," she promised, as he watched the baby with worry. "Lina's gonna be fine, honey. Now that she has the IV, she'll start to feel better..." 

But she knew that it was like talking to a wall, when it came to the girls and being sick. Sonny didn't do well with being sick, let alone, watching his children succumb to the common cold and every other illness out there. The first time Carina got sick, Sonny called Isabella at work, frantic as the baby wailed in the background. An ear infection, later diagnosed by their pediatrician during an emergency visit at his office, left Sonny rattled with nerves and exhaustion. 

"Mommmyyy," Carina whined, rubbing her eye with a closed fist. 

"Shhh,' Isabella whispered, patting her back gently. "Just rest your eyes, sweetheart. Mommy's not going anywhere..." 

It was the beginning of a very,  _very_ long night. 

..............

By midnight, Evelina cried herself to sleep, long after she started her first round of antibiotics. With a  _double_ ear infection, the baby had been poked and prodded some more; between checking her ears and inserting ear drops, Evelina was one cranky baby. By the time the nurse came back, with the order antibiotic, Sonny was overwhelmed by everything. 

Then, less than ten minutes after the antibiotics were administered, Evelina dozed off. Covering her with the blanket, Sonny sat down for the first time in four hours, holding onto the bars of the crib. 

"Do you want me to get you something?" Isabella asked, as Carina slept in her arms. "Coffee? Something from the vending machine?" 

"No,' Sonny shook his head, as he held his arms out for Carina. "I'm fine." 

Handing the girl over, Isabella stretched her arms up and over her head, before reaching for her bag. "I'll be right back," she promised, dropping a kiss against the top of his head. "I'll call our parents back, just to keep them updated. Do you want me to call Liv back?" 

Sonny shook his head, "I'll call her later," he said, as Carina shifted against his chest. "I'm gonna take the day off tomorrow, just to make sure Lina's alright.." 

Isabella nodded, "Alright," she said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "I'll be back." 

As she made her way out to the waiting room, Sonny sat back in the rocker, shifting Carina against his chest. After downing two ice pops, given to her by the nurse, Carina lounged back on Isabella's lap, before conking out. Sick herself, Carina was too tired to explore and ask a million questions of "What's dat?" and "Why?", in a place that was somewhat new to her. The last time she had been in the hospital, was to see her Mother and her new sister, six months previously. Isabella had been good about covering up the IV's in her arm and hand, as Carina did nothing but cuddle up with her in the hospital bed. 

The last time she was the patient herself, was at her own birth, nearly three years ago. Carina had been lucky to avoid the ER, the poking and prodding that came with it, whenever she got sick. And when Sonny either got hurt on the job, or when Isabella was the patient herself, Carina was at home with Noelle or hanging with Zio Fin or Zia Amanda. 

"Daddy," Carina mumbled, as she stirred in his arms. 

"Shhh," Sonny whispered, as he rubbed her back slowly. "Go to sleep,  _topolina._ Go to sleep.." 

.........................

Two diaper changes and a bottle later, Evelina was looking a bit better; her fever had dropped to a 99.3 by four in the morning, much to everyone's relief. Calling Liv, Sonny filled her on what was going on, letting her know that he wasn't going to be coming in that day. 

"Just keep me posted, "Liv said, understanding the situation. "How's Carina feeling?" 

"Ah, you know," Sonny shrugged, as he leaned against the vending machine. "Cranky and wantin' to go home. I told Iz to take her home, but she doesn't want to leave." 

Liv sighed, "Hopefully they'll let you guys out of there soon," she said. "Trust me, I've had my fair share of ER visits and hospital stays with Noah. It's rough and it doesn't get any easier as they get older." 

Sonny hummed in agreement, "Alright, let me go. I need to get back in there and see if the doc came back to check on Lina," he sighed, glancing down at his watch. "Hopefully her fever dropped so we can go home." 

"Give Iz and the girls my love," Liv said. "And.. take care of yourself, Sonny. I know you worry a lot, but everything will be fine. By tonight, Evelina'll be going at it in her activity bouncer." 

Hanging up, Sonny made his way back into the ER, flashing his visitor's tag at the security officer behind the desk. 

"Still here, man?" the guy asked, as he scooted the chair over to press the buzzer. 

"Yeah," Sonny nodded, as the doors opened. "Hopefully we'll be out soon." 

Nodding, the older man went back to reading the paper, as Sonny made his way back to his family. In the time he was away, Isabella pushed the chair closer to Evelina's crib, so Carina could stand and look in on the baby. 

"Mommy, baby sick," Carina said, her arm shoved between the bars of the crib. "Sick." 

"Yeah, Lina's sick," Isabella yawned, as she stood next to her. "But, she's gonna be alright. Both of you, for that matter." 

Sonny moved to stand at the end of the crib, his elbows resting upon the railing. "How's she doin'?" he asked, as Evelina grabbed at her foot; her green and pink sock hanging by her toes. 

"98.7," Isabella said, giving him a tired smile. "Doctor said he'll start the process of discharging her and we should be out of here soon. If we're lucky, we'll catch the first episode of Maury." 

"Yeah, like you're gonna stay up to watch Maury," Sonny snorted, as Evelina cooed. "Liv sends her love and said to keep her posted." 

She nodded, "What else did the doc say?" he asked, moving to fix Evelina's socks. 

Isabella ran her fingers through her hair, "He's giving her prescription ear drops and a different antibiotic for the infection," she started. "Said it's possible for her to have another fever, but hopefully it won't be as bad as it was last night." 

"God, I hope not," Sonny shook his head, as he rubbed Evelina's belly. "Right? No more fevers?" 

Evelina gave him a gummy smile, as her feet kicked about. "I think I'm gonna set up the humidifier in their room," he said, watching the baby. "Later, after we've all slept, I'm gonna disinfect that entire room and the house. Hopefully, whatever's in them, will be out by the weekend." 

"Well, you know where everything is," Isabella said, as Carina sneezed. "Have fun cleanin', Mary Poppins." 

............

"No, Carina. Daddy and Sissy are sleeping," Isabella said gently, as she caught the toddler by the back of her shirt. "Let's go have something to drink and I'll tuck you back into bed." 

Long after being discharged and stopping to pick up prescriptions, the girls were sound asleep when they returned to the apartment. A diaper change for Evelina and putting a pull-up on Carina, the girls were tucked in and the curtains were drawn shut. Their parents were out cold, the moment they hit the pillows, and slept until Evelina woke around two for a bottle and a diaper change. 

"Mommy, no nap," Carina shook her head, as Isabella filled her sippy cup with water. "No sleep." 

"Yes, sleep," Isabella nodded, handing the cup to her. "You need to rest, Carina. Just like Sissy. We can play later..." 

Drinking her water, Carina toddled back down the hallway and into her room, rushing over to her bed. "Mommy, up," she demanded, as the sippy cup rested under her arm. "Up." 

Checking her pull-up, which was dry, Isabella got her back into bed and tucked between her princess blankets. "Daddy will come check on you later," she promised, as she rubbed the little girl's back. "We'll eat dinner and play with your dollies." 

"Otay," Carina yawned, as she shoved her face into her pillow. 

Once she was out cold, Isabella got up and made her way back into the master bedroom, where Sonny snored deeply; Evelina did the same, as she laid out next to him; her arms and legs splayed out like a starfish. Checking her phone for any messages, Isabella quietly and carefully slipped back into bed, pulling the blankets up to her waist. 

The sudden movement made Sonny snort in surprise, as he jolted awake, blinking rapidly. 

"Sorry," Isabella whispered, reaching out the lay her hand on his arm. "Go back to sleep." 

"Hmmm, the kids?" he slurred, turning to look at her.

Isabella watched as he tiredly looked down at Evelina, before laying his hand against her belly. "Sound asleep," she whispered. "It's a little after three." 

Sonny grunted, "I'll start dinner soon," she continued. "Maybe canned soup for the four of us? Or cereal?" 

"I'll cook.." he started, as he laid his head back down on the pillows. 

"No, you will not," Isabella shook her head. "Tonight, we'll cheat and depend on our microwave. You don't need to cook e _very_ night, Sonny." 

He all but pouted, as she leaned across the baby to kiss him. "Go back to sleep," she whispered against his lips, which were still pulled into a pout. 

Checking again on Evelina, making sure her diaper was dry, Isabella finally laid down. By then, Sonny was already asleep again, snoring deeply as if he wasn't just up only seconds before. 

"Shhh," Isabella whispered, as Evelina stirred; her onesie clad feet shifting against the mattress. 

Going still, Evelina let out a deep sigh, much to Isabella's relief. Sonny's hand was still resting on her belly, the silver band on his finger glinting in the little bit of sunlight that filtered through the shades. 

It took a few minutes before Isabella felt the familiar heaviness as her eyelids drooped, the exhaustion kicking in again after sleeping on and off since they came home that morning. With nowhere to be, on that chilly Thursday afternoon, Isabella gave into the exhaustion. 


	62. those newborn days

Sonny walked quietly back and forth in the kitchen, as the bottle gurgled in the warmer; three ounces of freshly pumped breast milk, waiting to be consumed. 

"You slept for a half hour," Sonny said softly, as he cradled the newborn in his arms. "That's ten minutes more than last night, and every twenty minutes throughout the night, for the last three weeks!" 

Carina gurgled in his arms, her little arms wiggling above her face and head, as her onesie clad legs curled up towards her belly. 

Lifting her up to his face, Sonny pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead, breathing in during the process. The newborn smell, something Sonny couldn't get over, in the mere hours after she was born; the mix between the fluids that she came out covered in, followed by the smell of baby wipes, baby powder and the scent of whoever had been holding her last, lingered. 

Her first bath, was with Johnson's baby wash, followed by a rub down of baby lotion. After that, Sonny rocked her to sleep; her little head resting against his shoulder, while his hand cradled it. 

 _"She smells so... fresh",_ he told Isabella that night. " _It's better than that brand new car smell, Iz."_

There was so much about Carina that Sonny obsessed over in those first three weeks. Her tiny fingers and toes, along with everything else. She was a tiny person that they created together, during a moment filled with love and happiness; a honeymoon baby. Unplanned of course, which made Sonny panic and question if he was even ready for children. But, when he finally sat down and thought about it, seeing the image of their daughter on the  screen and hearing her heartbeat for the first time, Sonny knew it was one of the best things to happen to them. 

"Alright, let's see if this baba is ready," Sonny said, as the timer went off on the warmer. "The faster we get this in ya belly, you can go back to sleep." 

It was only a quarter to three in the afternoon, much to early for bedtime. But, Sonny knew that newborns needed a lot of sleep. Both he and Isabella struggled the first week at home, trying to get a feeding and nap schedule together; both were exhausted between the three day hospital stay, followed by being up at all hours of the night. Between labor and delivery, Isabella had no energy to do much around the apartment. Their Mother's helped, doing errands and helping with Carina, as her parents napped. The most outside activity Isabella had, was sitting outside on the patio when Carina was napping or if either Angela and Noelle had her for an hour or so. 

"Okay, let's watch ya eat," Sonny said, as he pressed the nipple gently against Carina's mouth. "Mommy ate an entire pot of pasta, just to get your food into nine bottles. So.. you need to eat this, because I'm not wakin' her up." 

Sitting at the table, Sonny watched as Carina guzzled down the three ounces of milk, her eyes drooping with each suckle. The little grunts and sighs, as the milk filled her belly, made Sonny smile. 

"Just wait until ya can eat real food," he said, as she ate. "You think this stuff is great, wait until you get ya hands on bowls of pasta and cannoli's." 

Once the bottle was empty, Sonny grabbed the burp rag from the table and tossed it over his shoulder. "After this, I'll change ya diaper," he said, as he gently patted her back. "I'll start dinner, that way Mommy can eat when she gets up." 

Carina cooed, before belching and spitting up all at once. Sonny grimaced a bit, expecting his entire shoulder to be covered in spit up. He was still getting used to being spit up on, the smell of breast milk and stomach acid making him a bit nauseous. 

"Feel better?" he asked, as he wiped her mouth clean. "Now you look so sleepy, Carina. Let's go get ready for a nap." 

Changing her diaper, Sonny watched as she yawned and wiggled about, as he wiped her clean and covered her bottom with diaper cream. Strapping her into a fresh and clean diaper, Sonny snapped her onesie back up. 

"Okay," he sighed, wiping his hand clean with a fresh wipe. "You want Daddy to rock you to sleep?" 

She cooed as he picked her up, cradling her in his arms. While he swayed side to side, rocking her gently, Sonny didn't see Isabella standing in the doorway of the nursery. 

"You're such a pretty baby," Sonny mused, as Carina yawned. "Thank God you look like your Mother. No lil girl should inherit a nose like mine...." 

He turned and spotted his wife, "Mommy's got a pretty nose," he continued, as he  continued to sway from one side to the next. "Your Mommy is beautiful, Carina."

Making her way into the nursery, Isabella placed one hand on Sonny's back and the other upon Sonny's hand which rested on Carina's head. "Daddy's handsome as well," she said softly. "You got your looks from the two of us, sweetheart." 

"Nah, she's all you, Iz," he said, as she smiled at the newborn. "From her hair to her toes." 

"She's got bits and pieces of you in her, Sonny," Isabella insisted. "She may have my nose and my hair color, but she's got your lips and eyes...." 

They watched as Carina dozed off, Isabella rested her head against Sonny's arm. "If anything, she'll end up being just like you," she concluded. "Call it a.. mother's intuition I guess." 

Carefully, Sonny placed Carina into her crib, before slowly pulling the side up and into place. "Mother's intuition is when you sense the baby is in danger or in need of somethin'," he whispered, as they made their way out of the room. "Not if your child is going to be like their Father when they're older." 

"She already does things that remind me of you," Isabella insisted, as they stepped into the kitchen. "She sleeps like you do, makes a lot of noise like you..." 

"Ha ha," Sonny scowled, as she giggled. 

"She even farts like you," Isabella shrugged. "You two alone could gas out the entire apartment.." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "She's just as much of you, as she is of me," she concluded. "Besides, she's only three weeks old. Give her some time to grown into her looks, Sonny. Her head still looks weird post-birth, but Carina will grow out of it in a couple of months." 

He snorted," Yeah, well.." he shrugged. "What are you doin' out of bed anyways? When I left ya, you were in a deep sleep and snorin'." 

"Had to pee," Isabella mumbled. "And change my clothes, before I went and stained the bed again." 

"Hmmm, just a couple more weeks of it and you'll be fine," Sonny said, remember what the doctor said at the hospital. "Do you feel alright?" 

Isabella nodded, "Tired," she admitted. "Hungry too..." 

Sonny snorted, "I'll start dinner," he said. "I cut up that watermelon last night, after you went to bed. Eat some of that and go lay down, Iz. You need to be restin'." 

"Don't make anything too crazy," Isabella said, as she got herself something to eat. "Just enough for the two of us and something quick." 

"I will," Sonny promised, as he started searching for pots and pans. "Since she's asleep, you have time to watch some television. Maybe a Housewives marathon is on..." 

She snorted and stood on her toes to kiss him, "Come join me when you get the food started," she said, as he tugged lightly at her ponytail. "We have a lot to catch up on with Atlanta.." 

 


	63. magic kingdom

"Daddy! Daddy!" Carina squealed, as she pointed to the mass of balloons from her stroller. " 'OONS!"

Sonny chuckled, as Isabella shoved her purse into the diaper bag, before draping it over the handle bar of the stroller. "Yes, balloons!" he said, as Carina squealed again. "Alright, let's see what’s on the map.."

"We should walk down _Main Street U.S.A_ , then from there, we could start in _Adventureland_ or _Tomorrowland,_ and work our away around," Isabella said, as Sonny opened the park map. "This is a big park and we're here for a whole week. It's our first day here so...whatever we don't see today, we can come back sometime later in the week to finish out."

He nodded, skimming the attractions listed. "How about we go to Adventureland and do some of these things," he said, pointing to the attractions. "These look like shows and it's hot as hell right now.."

Carina whined from her stroller, "Daddddyyyy!" she cried, trying to turn in her stroller to look at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, handing Isabella the map. "Up!" she whined, holding her hands up to him, as he made his way around the stroller. "Up, peaseeee!"

Sighing, Sonny unbuckled the toddler from her seat, pulling her up into his arms. "Hey, you get to sit and have us push you around all day," he said, as Carina cuddled with him.

Isabella snorted, "She can see everything better from up there," she teased, as Carina babbled at everything around them. "Alright, let's get moving! We've got a lot to see today!"

.............

 _Adventureland_ was a bit of a bust for Carina, as she cried her way through the Enchanted Tiki Room, whined through the Jungle Cruise and left the Pirates of the Caribbean with a muddy pull-up.

"I still can't believe you went on that Pirate ride," Sonny shook his head, as they walked into _Liberty Square_. "Are you sure you're feelin' alright?"

"Sonny, it was nothing," Isabella insisted, as she dipped her pretzel into her dole whip. "If anything, that drop woke me up!"

He shook his head, "No more rides with drops," he warned, as they walked. "I don't care how small they are!"

Not wanting to argue, Isabella ate her snack as they trekked through the crowds. They skipped The Hall of Presidents and the Liberty Square Riverboat, since neither would be interesting for Carina. Instead, they took her on the Haunted Mansion ride, expecting for a total meltdown. Instead, they were met with giggles and squeals, as their coach buggy took a ride into the afterlife.

"Pretty!" Carina giggled, as they trekked through the graveyard. "Doggy! Daddy, doggy! Woof Woof!"

"So she hates birds but enjoys ghosts," Sonny shrugged, as Isabella snickered. "Now we know she's definitely your kid..."

Afterwards, they found a place to eat and use the bathroom, while plotting out their next course of action. "We could head into _Fantasyland_ and start doing those meet and greet things," Isabella said, as Sonny fed the baby a chicken tender. "I know she wants to meet Elsa and Anna.."

"El!" Carina squealed.

"So lets meet those two," Sonny nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "And that section has all those kid friendly rides, so we can maybe do all of 'em, before heading into space world."

Isabella snickered, " _Tomorrowland_ ," she corrected him. "Man, if I wasn't pregnant and our parents came with us, we could've done Space Mountain and some of these other rides..."

Sonny nodded, "Next time," he promised, as she placed her hand against her belly. "We'll go on it as many times as you want. Hell, we'll go on it so much that you'll just barf everywhere and it'll be a successful day."

"Ew, Sonny," she made a face, as he chuckled. "Why don't you go on it?"

"Nah, that's not right," Sonny shook his head, as Carina sipped her juice. "I feel bad doin' that, while you're sittin' outside with the baby."

She sighed, "What's the point in coming here, if you won't go on all the thrill rides?" she asked. "Please? You should be able to enjoy some of those crazy rides that neither Carina and I can go on..."

He shrugged, "Besides, I'm sure I'll be starving again by the time we reach Tomorrowland," Isabella pointed out. "Rina and I will find a nice bench in the shade, to eat and rest our feet. Right, baby girl?"

"No."

"Well, at least I offered to share food with her," Isabella sighed, shrugging.

Sony snorted, "No you didn't," he said. "You were implyin' that you're both gettin' snacks, babe. Not just one to share.."

Isabella scowled, which in return, made Carina giggle.

"Alright, Princess," Sonny sighed, glancing down at his watch. "Let's finish up and use the potty, that way we can go see some of your Princess friends.."

...................

"And there's you with Elsa and Anna," Isabella said, as she showed Carina the photos she had taken with her phone. "Daddy probably got a lot of good ones too."

Carina giggled, as she pointed to the screen. "Me!" she squeaked, pointing to a picture of her and Sonny.

"That is you!" Isabella smiled, tickling her belly lightly. "That's you and Daddy, right on the carrousel! I think this is Mommy's favorite picture of you two.."

A little after five-thirty, they spend a majority of the afternoon, meeting characters and going on kid-friendly rides. Of course, Carina loved it all; from meeting Ariel, Elsa and Anna to riding in a clam shell with Ariel and her friends. It was safe to say that Fantasyland was her favorite, as her parents bought her a princess crown and a pack of princess dolls for her to play with later.

Tomorrowland was next after that, where they did the Buzz Lightyear ride twice, before Carina grew grumpy with hunger. It was at that point, that Isabella sent Sonny off to ride Space Mountain.

"I'm starving and so is she," she told him, when he tried to protest. "Go have some fun. I need at least one silly picture of you on a thrill ride, just so I can show everyone when we go home."

With the wait being close to a half hour, Isabella managed to get pretzels, drinks and a hotdog to split with Carina. "We won't tell Daddy about the hot dog," she said, as they took a seat near the exit of the ride.

"Daddy?" Carina asked, looking up at her Mother. "Daddy?"

"Daddy went on the space ride," Isabella said, brushing her hair away from her face. "He should be out soon, sweetheart."

Looking up, Isabella smiled as she saw Sonny making his way towards them; a big grin on his face and his hair in disarray, were much too adorable to witness. Pointing towards him, Carina began to squeal and wiggle, as Sonny approached them.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

"Hey!" he laughed, as he picked her up. "Did you have fun with Mommy?"

Kissing her cheeks, Sonny moved her to his hip, while Isabella sat back on the bench. "How was it?" she asked, smirking at his appearance.

"Amazin'," Sonny nodded. "Just wait until ya see the picture, Iz. This ride is still as crazy as it was, back when I was a kid."

Giggling, Isabella moved over so that Sonny could sit down with Carina on his lap. "I see you two ate," he nodded towards the mess on the top of the stroller. "Are we gonna eat dinner here or back at the hotel?"

"We could eat here," she said with a shrug. "Do you want to stay for fireworks tonight? We could get something to eat on Main Street and find a place to sit, so we can get a good view of the castle and the show.."

Looking down at his watch, Sonny shrugged. "I know there's a parade too," he said. "Let's look in a few shops here, get some food and find a place to sit and relax."

Gathering their things, Carina held onto Sonny, as they walked through various stores.

"Want!" Carina begged, pointing to one of the many Stitch plushes. "Peassee, Daddy? I good baby!"

"Might as well spoil her now," Isabella shrugged, as Sonny chuckled. "We did come down here for her birthday after all.."

When they finally sat down for dinner, eating hot dogs and french fries at a table, Carina cuddled her new blue friend tightly to her little chest.

"That thing is bigger than her," Sonny remarked, as they ate. "How we're gonna get that on the plane, is gonna be a friggin' miracle itself."

................

They finally strolled through the hotel door, a little after one in the morning; sweaty, sunburnt and overall exhausted. "Quick shower and bed," Sonny said, as he carried Carina against his shoulder. "Do you want me to give her a wipe down?"

Isabella shook her head, "I'll take her in with me," she insisted. "She needs to be rinsed off, Sonny. Between the sunscreen and diaper cream, along with the sweat? She'll get a rash.."

While Isabella and Carina showered together, Sonny pulled out fresh pajamas for them both and placed it on the bed. When they were done, Sonny took a quick shower himself.

"I'm burnt," he pouted, coming out a few minutes later. "My nose and my neck..."

"We'll have to be more vigilant with the sunscreen tomorrow," Isabella said, as she pulled the Cinderella nightgown over Carina's head. "Right, baby? More sunscreen for Daddy?"

Carina yawned, "My 'Itch!" she pouted, pointing to the doll on the bed.

Quickly getting dressed, Sonny tossed the towel onto the bed and made his way over to the one that Carina would be sleeping in. "Let's get you and Stitch tucked into bed," he said gently, as Carina began to suck on her thumb. "Hey, no thumb suckin'."

Getting her damp hair up into a high bun, Sonny tucked the toddler under the cool sheets. "Here's ya baby," he said, pulling Stitch closer to her. "Ready for night night?"

"Sweepy," the two year old yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"Get some sleep, baby," Isabella whispered, as Carina yawned. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

Leaning down, Sonny kissed her forehead, followed by her nose and both her cheeks. "I love you, _topolina_ ," he whispered, as she giggled.

Carina placed her drool slicked hand on his cheek, "Lub yew, too," she babbled, as he kissed her hand. "Night, night, Daddy. Night, night, Mommy."

"I love you, my sweet girl," her Mother whispered, leaning across the mattress to kiss her.

Once she was sound asleep, snoring into her Stitch doll, the couple finished getting ready for bed. Putting the "Do Not Disturb" tag on the door, Sonny made sure everything was locked and the curtains were drawn shut, before climbing into bed.

"Oh god," he groaned, as he laid against the mattress. "This bed."

"Oh yes," Isabella groaned, stretching her aching legs out underneath the blankets, before rolling onto her side to face him. "My entire body is in love with this bed right now."

Getting situated under the blankets, Sonny reached out and placed his hand on her belly. "Any pain here?" he asked gently, as Isabella yawned.

She shook her head, "No, which is surprising considering how much food I ate today," she mumbled. 

"Hmm, wake me up if somethin' doesn't feel right," he yawned. "Even if you just have to poop or somethin'.."

"I will," she promised, leaning over for a kiss. "I love you."

Sonny wrapped his arm around her waist, "I love you too," he said quietly.

As quickly as they got into bed, they were asleep; the mix of three sets of snores filling the room. Their first day of magic in the books, a complete success.


	64. Eleanora Jane Carisi

Sonny paced back and forth outside the hospital room, as the nurses checked on Isabella. Six hours earlier, Sonny had been doing the same thing, after their daughter came into the world; a month early and nearly dying, as well as nearly killing Isabella. Their only child out of the four, that was actually planned, almost died that night. Almost died and nearly took Isabella's life with her, had it not been the quick thinking of the doctor and a team of nurses. 

"Mr. Carisi?" a soft voice called, as he paced. 

Sonny looked up quickly, pausing in his pace. 

Cora smiled softly at him, "How's she doin'?" Sonny asked, stepping closer to her. "Is she okay?" 

"She's doing great," Cora nodded. "The bleeding has stopped and the pelvic exam shows that the blood vessels have closed off where the placenta had planted itself. Uterus is contacting, especially while we pumped some milk to relieve pressure in her breasts. 

"Is.. is she awake?" Sonny asked. "Is she in pain?" 

"She's awake and the doctor ordered up a bag of antibiotics and a mild pain killer," Cora said. "She's been asking For you and I'm going to go and find out how your daughter is doing. If all is well, I'll bring the little one down for Mommy to see her." 

Sonny nodded, "She's going to be fine, Mr. Carisi," Cora insisted, placing her hand on his arm. "She had a great team down there. They caught the postpartum hemorrhaging quickly and were able to save both her life and your daughter's." 

"I know.." he whispered, as Cora patted his arm gently. "Just.. it's.. the last three times we did this, everythin' was great. Iz got to hold the girls and feed them right after delivery and when we moved to a new room.." 

The older woman nodded, "I have no doubts that by tomorrow, Isabella will be holding your daughter," she said, optimistic. "Hopefully, when I come back for my shift tomorrow night, she'll have a name."

Excusing herself to fill out the orders, Sonny quietly made his way into the hospital room; the lights were dimmed down, save for the little beside light and the lights from the monitors. Nestled under a couple of blankets, Isabella turned her head towards him. 

"Hi.." she whispered, as Sonny sat down next to her. 

"Hi, sweetheart," he whispered back, taking her hand into his. "How do ya feel?" 

Isabella closed her eyes, swallowing thickly. "Sleepy," she mumbled, as he traced his thumb along her hand. "How's the baby?" 

Sonny reached out and placed his hand on her blanket clad thigh. "Cora's gonna go check on her for us," he said. "If she's all good, we'll see her in a little bit. But.. if you're sleepy, we can always see her tomorrow morning." 

"No," Isabella whimpered. "Wanna see her now." 

"Shhh," Sonny cooed, as he moved closer to her; his hand resting gently against her face. "Don't get upset. It's gonna be alright, Iz. They caught everythin' early and you're gonna be great. We'll go home in a few days and you're gonna get a lot of rest, that way you can be up and runnin' after our lil monsters.." 

Tears slipped from her eyes, rolling down her face. "I want my baby," she whimpered, as the first heaving sobbed ripped from her. "I want my baby. I want my baby." 

As she grew upset, sobs wracking her entire body, Sonny tried his best to console her. When he saw that she had been far to upset, Sonny pressed the call button on the side of the hospital bed. Within seconds, Cora was coming into the room. 

"What's wrong, my dear?" she asked, coming around on the other side o the bed. "Hmmm. What's wrong? Why are you so sad, dear? You've got your honey here..." 

"I want my baby!" 

Sonny turned and looked up the woman, who had been so gracious and patient with them for the last three hours. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Can.. can you give her somethin' to help her sleep?" 

Cora nodded, "I can give her a mild sedative," she said, pulling out her phone. "Let me just call Doctor Brown, since he's on-call here tonight. He can rush the order down and I can inject it into her IV..." 

As she made her way outside to her computer cart, Sonny continued to sooth his hysterical wife. "Baby, I need you to relax," he said gently, as she cried. "C'mon. I know you wanna see the baby, but you have to relax." 

"Where.. where is she?" Isabella heaved, before letting out a groan. 

"They took her to the NICU after delivery, since she was a month early," he said. "They wanted to make sure everythin' was alright. Doctor Brown saw her earlier, when you were asleep.." 

Isabella blinked, sniffling harshly. "She's goin' to be fine, baby," Sonny said. "She's a bit tiny, compared to Carina, Evelina and Siena. But..we can bring her home in a few days when Doctor Brown discharges ya."

He wiped her face with his hand, not once grimacing at the snot and tears. "D-did you see her?" she hiccuped. 

"Only when they were cleanin' her off," he admitted. "But.. I was too worried about you. Everyone's sayin' she's a beauty though. Brown hair and big blue eyes, though.. they'll probably change when she's a lil older." 

As he quietly spoke to her, reassuring her that everything was fine, Cora came back with the ordered sedative. Keeping her distracted, Cora added the sedative into Isabella's IV, before checking the bags on the pole near the her bed. 

"So, after you get some sleep, Cora will bring the baby in here," Sonny said, as Isabella's eyes began to droop. "Frenchie's gonna come tomorrow afternoon with clothes, a pillow and blanket from home and all the pictures the monsters drew.. 

"Kay.." she whispered, sighing deeply as a hiccup followed. "Love you." 

Sonny kissed her hand and held it to his lips. "I love you too,' he rubbed her hand and arm gently. "So much, Iz." 

Within seconds, Isabella was in a deep sleep and snoring; the last six and a half hours of painful labor and a traumatic delivery, finally taking it's toll on her. 

"She'll sleep for a while," Cora said softly. "Do you want me to get you anything? Something to eat?" 

Sonny shook his head, "Nah, I'm fine," he insisted, as the older woman shook her head. 

"You've been running on empty for a long time, young man," she said. "I'll see what I can find you. You look like you'd enjoy a nice cup of earl grey." 

"My wife.. Iz.. she's a literal coffee bean," he let out a tired chuckle. "Every pregnancy she cries about not bein' able to drink her coffee. So.. when I make a cup before work, she has to hold it first and inhale the scent of it." 

He shook his head, "She swore on her life, that the smell alone woke her up," he sighed. "We drink tea at night, before bed. Regardless if I'm home early from work, or if I'm strollin' in at two.. three in the mornin'." 

Cora smiled, "Love of your life, isn't she?" she asked. 

Sonny nodded. "She's my entire life," he said, watching as she slept. "Our girls are too. But, Iz? Iz is my everythin', my biggest reason to live. Couldn't imagine my life without her, raisin' four girls alone." 

"She kept asking for you, while we cleaned her up," Cora nodded. "All she kept saying was your name. Sonny, Sonny. Where's my sunshine? I've had my fair share couples down here, in the maternity ward. But in my thirty years of being a nurse, and I've been in all departments of my time, the love you two have is so genuine. Most new mothers who've suffered difficult deliveries, ask about their babies first. Isabella however, asked about you and only you." 

"Always on my case, now that I'm gettin' old," Sonny managed to joke, though it sounded so flat at that moment. 

The nurse gave him a sympathetic look. "I think she worries more about your wellbeing than you know," she concluded. "I'm going to make that cup of tea for you and find some food. Can't have you getting sick, when you've got a baby girl to meet tomorrow." 

................

The next morning, after a round of blood drawing, pelvic exams and trying to use the bathroom, a nurse from the NICU brought the baby down. Finally free from IV's and isolette, baby girl Carisi was a lively baby despite being four weeks early. 

"She's got a clean bill of health," the young man said, as he handed her over to Isabella. "We ran all the tests and she passed every single one with flying colors. If you want to feed her, we'll bring up a bottle. Your chart tells me that you cannot breastfeed, since you're on medication for pain." 

Isabella nodded as she looked down at the newborn, "Thank you," Sonny said, as he sat down next to her, his arms coming around her shoulders. 

As the nurse left, the couple were able to look at their daughter for the first time. Big pouty lips and a head full of brown hair, she was a splitting image of Sonny. The first and only child without a shade of red in her hair, Sonny knew that her older sisters would go ballistic over it. 

"She's a mini you," Isabella said softly, as the baby gripped her finger. "She's really beautiful." 

"Poor kid," Sonny snorted. "She's probably gonna get my big nose." 

Isabella let out a tired laugh, "I love your nose," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "What should we name her?" 

Sonny sighed thoughtfully, "Hmmm. How about.... Eleanora?" 

"That's a pretty name," she mused, as the baby cooed. "Classy too." 

"Ah, it can pass for both French  _and_ Italian," Sonny shrugged. "That way, Frenchie can think we gave her a French name, since all we do is give our kids Italian ones." 

The baby yawned widely, before turning her gaze to her parents. "Eleanora Jane," Isabella said, as she traced the newborns plump cheek with her finger tips. "Little Ellie." 

Together, in that hospital room, they held and watched as Ellie dozed in and out. A half hour later, Isabella wanted to rest, before her Mother and the rest of the family came in and out. 

"Just for a little while," she said, giving him a tired smile. "Call for a bottle, that way she doesn't get cranky." 

"I will," Sonny promised. "Do you want me to send a picture out to Liv and the others? That way they know she's alright and that you're alright?" 

Isabella nodded, "Tell them to come tomorrow though," she yawned. "I only want to see Maman today. And mom, if your Dad and mine are okay with watching the girls for a few hours." 

Sonny nodded, "I'll call her and let her know," he said, as Ellie grunted. "Take a nap. I'll be right here with this lil meatball. Gotta let her know what to expect, with all these people comin' and goin'." 

...............

After five full days in the hospital, Isabella and Eleanora were discharged with a clean bill of health. It also came with a stern warning from Doctor Brown, which was delivered to Sonny. 

" _Remember what I said, Sonny,_ " he said. " _I'll see you both in six weeks for her check up, but if anything changes? You call my office or my after hours line, that way I can get you in here ASAP. The next six weeks are going to be very crucial for her healing process. Don't be surprised if it takes Isabella longer than that, to get better_." 

Carina, Evelina and Siena were startled at the sight of their mother; pale and weak with exhaustion, as Sonny and Antonio helped her into the house and upstairs to bed. They were nearly afraid to touch her, let alone speak to her, until Sonny said it was okay. 

" _Just be gentle with Mommy, girls,"_ he said, as Isabella gave them a tired smile.  _"Mommy' just really, really sleepy. Ellie kicked her butt when she was born."_

 _"Did it hurt, Mommy?"_ Carina asked. 

Isabella shook her head slowly, " _Only a little bit, topolina,"_ she insisted. " _Only a little bit."_

**6 weeks later**

"You didn't have to come on your day off, Liv," Isabella said, as Olivia kept her arms around her shoulders and waist. "I'm fine." 

The woman gave her a look, "You're still healing," she said, as Sonny moved to open the door. "And, I don't mind spending my day off with my favorite girlfriend. "Besides, Noah has been dying to see all these princess movies that you have at home." 

Taking the elevator up to the doctor's office, Isabella leaned into her friend's shoulder. "Can we get something to eat after this?' she asked. 

"What do you want to eat, sweetheart?" Sonny asked, as she held his hand. 

"Hot dogs," she mumbled, which made Olivia snort. 

Sharing a look with Sonny, Liv smiled. "At least she's getting her appetite back," she shrugged. "It's better than soup and mashed potatoes..." 

Sonny smirked, "If you're a good girl and nice to the doctor, I'll get you a hot dog," he promised. "French fries and a coca cola too." 

"Oohh, big spender," Liv teased, as Isabella let out a quiet laugh. "You picked a winner, Isabella. I've never had a man offer to buy me a hot dog, with fries and a coca cola to go with it." 

"That's because you prefer wine with your hot dogs," Sonny teased back, as they stepped into the waiting room. "Let me go sign you in, babe. Sit and tell Liv about what Ellie did this mornin'." 

Checking her in at the desk, Sonny made small talk with the girl behind it. "She's doin' good," he said, as Peggy asked how Isabella was. "Tired and slowly making her way around the house; under the watchful eye of Sonny, family and friends. "Baby is doin' amazin' though. Eatin' like a champ and gettin' big.." 

"Thank goodness," Peggy sighed in relief. "We heard what happened the next day, when Doctor Brown called us. Doctor Zitner and Doctor Rodriquez had to fill in for his patients, since he wanted to stay at the hospital..."

A few more minutes of talking, Sonny made his way over to where Liv and Isabella sat. "Peggy and the girls were askin' about ya," he said, sitting down. "They're very happy to see you and to hear that you and Ellie are doin' good."

"Next time we should bring her," Isabella said, as he held her hand again.

The wait was short, before Isabella was called into the back. With Sonny and Liv on either side, they made the slow walk to the exam room. Helping her out of her clothes and into a gown, Isabella was on the exam table with their help.

"I feel so useless," Isabella grumbled, as Liv folded up her clothes. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"Hey, we've all seen each other at our worsts," Liv insisted. "Good and bad. How many times have I seen this one here, hopped up on pain killers after injuries on the job? The stuff he comes up with? Fin and Amanda have the perfect collection of blackmail to use against Sonny."

He rolled his eyes with a snort, as Isabella smiled. "Thanks Lieu," he shook his head.

When the doctor finally came in, a few minutes later, he wasn't surprise at what he saw. "Have you been moving around the house a bit?" he asked, when he ran all the routine tests. "No fever, blood pressure is good, as well as your pulse.."

"We walk around the house and in the yard," Sonny said. "We do a short walk from the front door to the sidewalk and back, before headin' inside..."

"Good, good," Doctor Brown nodded, as he wrote in the chart. "Try to do a little more movement though, that way you can build up your energy. Get all those muscles moving and the blood pumping.."

A pelvic exam and sonogram later, Isabella was signed off with a clean bill of health. "Now.. did we talk about contraception?" he asked, looking between the couple. "I know you won't be resuming sexual intercourse for a while, when you start to feel really better with moving around. But.. this is something we should start working on.." 

Isabella shook her head, "Honestly? No," she admitted. "I just spend a lot of time either sleeping or trying my best to take care of the girls." 

"That's fine," the doctor nodded. "When you two get the chance, preferably before you resume sexual intercourse, I want you to come back in for another checkup. This was a high risk pregnancy and you two were very lucky, Isabella. So, I would think long and hard, before deciding to add to your family. You were very lucky, considering the circumstances. But, I cannot guarantee that you'll have that luck the next time." 

...............

"Maybe four kids is enough," Isabella said, later that night after Sonny feed Ellie her bottle. 

"I think four is plenty," Sonny agreed, as she rested her head against his chest. "We're maxed out in bedrooms anyway. They'd have to sleep in the closet or on the roof." 

She let out a small laugh. "I could always go back on the pill or try the IUD," she shrugged. "And maybe we should get that big economy size box of condoms. Double up on the birth control for the time being..." 

He nodded, "We'll have to look and see what's out there," he said. "You've had so many bad reactions to those pills and I don't know if I'm keen on you sewing some... thing in your body." 

"I know," she sighed. "We could go the permanent way and get sterilized..." 

"No way," Sonny shook his head. "I don't want you back in the hospital anytime soon. This last visit was enough to scare the shit outta me.." 

Isabella lifted her head up to look at him, "All that blood," Sonny started, shaking his head. "I almost lost you, Iz. I almost lost you and I can't go through that again. I couldn't survive if anythin' ever happened to you, Iz. We're supposed to grow old together, watchin' our kids run around with their kids.." 

Sitting up, Isabella laid her hand against his cheek. "I know," she nodded. "I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do, to make that pain go away." 

"Just.. stay with me," Sonny said, laying his hand upon hers. "If it means we stop havin' sex until you run out of eggs, than I'll wait." 

"You'd wait eleven years, maybe more, for my ovaries to shrivel up?" she asked. "Sonny, you're good when it's six to eight weeks of heavy petting, hand jobs and blow jobs. But actual intercourse? You would combust and have a meltdown before Memorial Day weekend." 

He chuckled, "I don't care about it that much," he shrugged. "Just care about you." 

She nodded. "Four children are enough,' she concluded. "Besides, my boobs are going to look like shit after this.." 

"Nah, you've got a great rack," Sonny smirked. "I could list all the reasons why, if ya want me to." 

"I'll take your word for it," Isabella snorted, leaning down to kiss him. "Let's get some sleep. Ellie's due for a feeding in two hours or so. Plus, the girls have big plans tomorrow with our parents." 

Sonny snorted, "A day at the ball game," he shook his head. "I hope they're prepared with how much money they're gonna spend. Those girls sure know how to eat." 

She pulled the blankets up to cover them, "Yeah, because you taught them how to," she retorted, laying her head back down on his chest. "Hmmm, I love you so much." 

"I love you too," Sonny said, squeezing her waist lightly. "Always." 

 

 


	65. bra shopping

A few weeks after Carina started her period, puberty began it's swift appearance. At nine and a half, Carina was still struggling with the concept of having a period and growing up. It had been a rough transition, making sure her stash of sanitary pads were hidden in her back pack. Luckily, being a fourth grader, Carina's teacher was well aware that Carina was menstruating. 

 _"She's my third girl so far, this year, that's started their period,"_ she informed Isabella during a monthly parent-teacher conference. " _I keep pads, tampons, wipes and extra underwear in this storage closet. I know what it's like to suddenly get your monthly friend and not have the proper stuff.."_

Now, as Christmas was rolling around the corner, Carina was experiencing another change in her body. 

"But Daddy! I want Mommy to take me!" Carina whined, as Sonny finished getting ready for a day out with his daughter. "Daddies ca-" 

"Carina, Mommy is with Ellie and Theo," Sonny said, looking at her. "They're both not feelin' well and Mommy can't leave 'em." 

She pouted, "Sweetheart, it's not a big deal," he insisted. "I've gone bra shoppin' with Mommy, longer than you've been alive." 

From across the hall, Ellie and Theo cried, as Isabella got them settled down for a nap. "I know you're embarrassed, but ya don't have to be,' Sonny continued, tweaking her nose. "There are ladies that work in the store who will help you out. I don't have to go in the fittin' room with ya,  _topolina."_

"Promise?" Carina asked, blushing with embarrassment. 

"I promise," he nodded. "Just.. be honest with the lady when she asks if you like the bra. And that it feels comfortable, alright? You're gonna be wearin' it all day at school, playin' outside and in gym class.." 

Leading her out of the bedroom, Sonny quickly went to help Isabella with the littlest of the bunch. Ellie quickly went to sleep, once she had her pacifier and blanket. Theo whimpered and struggled, as Isabella rocked him in her arms, moving him back into his bedroom. 

"Nothing crazy,' she said, when Sonny announced that they were leaving. "Get her a couple of bras to start with, and hopefully they'll get her through the next couple of months. I hope to god she doesn't develop as quickly as did, Sonny. I was a full D cup by the time I entered ninth grade." 

Sonny shuddered, "God, I hope not,' he sighed, as Carina waited downstairs. "If she starts gettin' upset, I'll bring her home. Then tomorrow, I'll stay with these two, while Siena and Lina are with Ma and Pop." 

Giving him a quick kiss, Isabella turned her attention back to Theo. "Good luck," she offered, giving him a tired smile. 

"Yeah, I'll need it," Sonny snorted, as he started out of the nursery. "If you need anythin', let me know." 

..................

Sonny and Carina stood before the wall of bras, at a complete and total loss; for Sonny it was different, considering he didn't even know what size Carina was. These bras, the "training bras" went from extra,  _extra_ small to extra,  _extra_ large. Sonny was used to cup sizes, band sizes and simply memorizing Isabella's fluctuating size before, during and after each pregnancy. 

"Okay," Sonny nodded, after a few minutes of silence. "Do you see anythin' you like so far?" 

Carina looked up at him and shrugged, "That's alright," he nodded, placing his hand on her head; ruffling her hair a bit. "Hmmm. Well, they have the basic white and black," he started, pointing to one rack of bras. "Or... you can get these cool ones! Look,  _topolina!_ These have stars and unicorns on them!" 

She showed some interest in the patterned bras, nodding to the ones that Sonny pointed to. "I guess you're like.. a small?" he shrugged, taking one bra off the rack. "Hmm, or a medium.." 

"Hello!" 

The father-daughter duo jumped at the sudden appearance of the sales girl, "Can I help you?" she asked, as Carina stepped closer to Sonny's side. 

"Yes, actually," Sonny nodded, putting his hand on Carina's shoulder. "It's alright, Carina," he started, as Carina flushed with embarrassment. 

"Is this her first time?" the woman-  _Nicole-_ asked. 

Sonny nodded, "I think she's interested in these patterned ones," he started, nodding to the three in his hand. "But.. the sizes. I'm not sure how you'd size a kid, ya know? I mean my wife.. it's a bit different. I have all her sizes memorized in my head, because they've changed so much when she was pregnant with our kids.." 

Nicole nodded and squatted down before Carina, "What's your name, sweetheart?" she asked, giving Carina a friendly smile. "Don't be shy!" 

"C-Carina." 

"Wow, that's a super pretty name!" Nicole grinned. "Why do you look sad, Carina?" 

Carina shrugged, "I don't wanna be a big girl," she pouted, holding onto Sonny's leg with her arms. 

"I know, being a big girl stinks sometimes," the sales girl said. "And sometimes, buying a bra can be fun. Or it can be not- so fun." 

The nine and a half year old nodded in agreement. "But, I think we can find something super cool for you," Nicole continued. "My Mommy told me, when I was your age, that a bra is like a superhero costume." 

"Really?" 

"Oh, yeah!" Nicole said, nodding. "You know how Supergirl wears her superhero costume under her clothes?" Carina nodded quickly and Nicole smiled. "Well, it's just like that! Something that only you know about, hiding underneath your shirt. No one at school has to see it and they don't have to know about it. You can be Carina on the outside and Super-Carina on the inside!" 

Sonny smiled as he watched the two of them talk, "So, can I help you find some superhero costumes?" 

Carina looked up at Sonny, "Go on," he chuckled, as she smiled for the first time that day. "I'll look around and meet ya by the fittin' room." 

"I'll size her," Nicole said, as Carina took her hand into her tiny one. "I don't think she'll need anything with cups, so I'm thinking training bras." 

"So these sporty lookin' ones?" Sonny asked, as Carina took the ones he was holding. 

The woman nodded, "They're super comfortable and are more discrete, when worn under shirts," she said. "That way, no one will really know that she's wearing a bra to begin with." 

Without anymore questions for the time being, Sonny left them to it, moving to look at some clothes for the girls. 

 _How's it going?_ Isabella texted, as he found a few things for Ellie. Putting a sweater down on the table, Sonny felt his phone buzzing in his pocket, signaling an incoming text message. 

 _She's with the girl now, shopping_ he texted.  _I'm doing some X-mas shopping for the kids, while she tries stuff on with the girl._

"I like the pink one!" he heard Carina squeal from across the store, which made him chuckle. 

 _Good, I hope she's having fun. And you've earned a cold beer and a blowjob later, babe. An absolute trooper you are, doing this today,_ her next text said, which made him snort. 

_I'll hold you too that, Iz. See ya at home._

_.............._

_"_ Wow, Carina! You picked out some cool things here," Sonny said, once she was re-dressed and handing him a couple of bras. "Now, are you  _sure_ you like these?" 

She nodded, "They're my superhero costumes, Daddy," she said, beaming at him. "Nicole helpeded me pick 'em alllll out!" 

Nicole nodded, as she stood near the rack of clothes. "She was great, Dad," she confirmed. "Now, she's a cross between a small and medium. Depending on the fabric and cut of some bras, she'll have to try on either one of those sizes." 

"Is that.. is that normal?" Sonny asked, as Carina looked through the pile of clothes in the tote bag. 

"Yeah," the woman nodded. "It's all based on the material of the clothing. How it stretches and lays on the body. If she's a small in one bra, but a medium in another, that's fine. You don't want all of them to be too tight on her, which will make her uncomfortable." 

Sonny nodded, "Is this your first?" Nicole asked, watching as he nodded. "I figured. We see the first time shoppers a lot here and it does get overwhelming, which is totally normal." 

He watched as Carina looked at the clothes on the rack, all of which had to be replaced on the sales floor. "She's my first baby," he said. "I've got four more at home, three girls and a lil' boy." 

"Oh boy," the woman laughed, shaking her head. "But you know what, it's good that you came today with her. And what's good is that, if you keep coming with her to get bras between now and when she's in high school, you'll be ready for it when it's the other three.." 

"God, I hope so," Sonny chuckled, shaking his head. "I might just have my wife take them. This growin' up stuff is crazy! One minute she's a lil baby, comin' home from the hospital Now, she's growin' up and goin' through all these things. Sure, I'm used to it with my wife and my sisters. But.. it's so different with my own kid." 

Carina looked over at him and smiled, before turning back to the dresses. "Because it's always harder when it's your baby," Nicole shrugged. "It'll get better as time goes on." 

Thanking her , Sonny stood up with the tote bag and made his way over to Carina. "You wanna look around for a bit?" he asked, as Carina took his offered hand. "Or do you wanna go and get a smoothie thing?" 

"Can we look at the hair things?" Carina asked. " _And_ get a fruit smoothie?" 

"Yeah, we can do that," Sonny laughed. "C'mon,  _topolina._ I think we can get another hour or so together, before Mommy starts callin' us." 

..............

Carting two shopping bags and a nine and a half year old, Sonny brought Carina to Jamba Juice. 

"I want the purple one, Daddy," Carina said, as they read the menu. "It has all my berries and Mommy says I gots to drink all my berries!" 

"Mommy is right about that," Sonny nodded, as he put her order in. "I guess I'll have the same. Do you want somethin' to eat, Carina? A little snack for the train ride home, or do you wanna wait until I make lunch?"

She pouted as she looked at the little bakery treats before them. "Can we share cheesey pretzel?" she asked, pointing to the sourdough parmesan pretzel. " _Pleaseee?"_

Sonny snorted, "We can share it," he nodded, adding the snack to their order. "Let's go wait over here for our stuff." 

"I like shopping with you," Carina said, as Sonny helped her up onto a stool.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, setting the bags down on the counter top. "Is that because I buy you whatever ya want?" 

She giggled, shaking her head. "Mommy always picks out my things," she sighed. "You ask me if I like something and you let me pick my colors." 

He smoothed her hair back from her face, "Thats because Mommy's been shoppin' for a long time," he shrugged. "You know you can always tell Mommy what you like and don't like, sweetheart. She won't get upset if you speak your mind." 

"Two banana berry smoothies and a a sourdough parmesan pretzel!" 

"Our smoothies!" Carina squealed, as Sonny stabbed a straw into each cup. 

Helping her down from the stool, Sonny handed her the smaller cup, before picking up his own, the pretzel and their bags. "Let's go sit down and eat this thing," he said, nodding towards a table. "We'll call Mommy and see if she needs up to pick up anythin', before we take the subway home." 

 

...................

"Alright, so your bras are gonna be in here with your undies and socks," Sonny said, as he pulled out the lower drawer of Carina's dresser. "We'll make sure to wash them at the end of the day, that way you never run out of them.." 

Carina nodded, "Can I change my clothes now?" she asked. "Put my pajamas back on!" 

"Go on," Sonny nodded, closing the dresser drawer. "I'll go make some grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone." 

Leaving her to change, Sonny headed downstairs where Ellie and Theo were with Isabella. "Hello, my lil' meatballs," he said, greeting the infants with a kiss on the cheek. "And hello, my lovely bride." 

"Hello," Isabella smiled, giving him a kiss. "How did shopping go?" 

"Really well, surprisingly," Sonny said, as he went to get the tub of butter and package of cheese out. "Got a few things to get her through the next few months, hopefully, and some stuff for the kids for Christmas." 

Isabella wiped Ellie's nose with a tissue, "Good," she nodded. "I was worried that Carina would have a hard time, therefore making the experience terrible for the both of you." 

Sonny set everything down on the counter, "Nah, we had a great day," he admitted. "The sales girl was very helpful and Carina picked out everythin' on her own, which made her feel like a big girl." 

"Daddy's making grilled cheese sandwiches for us!" they heard as Carina made her way into the kitchen. "Daddy! I wanna help!" 

"Me too! Me too!" Siena squealed, following her older sister. "I wanna help! Cheese! Cheese for me!" 

"You two can help," Sonny nodded. "But, not fightin'! The stove gets hot and I don't want you two gettin' burned here." 

Isabella yawned, "I'm gonna get a bottle together for Theo," she said, glancing at the clock. "He's due for a nap anyways, along with Miss Ellie Belly here." 

Ellie pouted and fussed, while Sonny started up the stove top. "Let her try a lil bit of this," Sonny said, as Carina and Siena stood against the cabinets. "Where's Lina?" 

"Lina sweepy," Siena sighed, as she squatted down to pet Simba. "She poopied and go sweepy." 

"Had a tummy ache," Isabella confirmed, when Sonny gave her a worried look. "I think she had way too much milk with her breakfast, along with the eggs. Poor kid was on the bowl for at least a half hour, pooping her soul out. Gave her something for the pain and she knocked out, five minutes after her head hit the pillow." 

He nodded, "I'll make her a sandwich and if she's up to it, she can have it later," he said, laying the slices of bread into the pan. 

"Alright," his wife nodded, as she moved to get a bottle of breastmilk out of the fridge. "Okay girls, after lunch you'll use the bathroom and then it's nap time."

"Awww, no want to!" Siena pouted, stomping her foot against the floor. 

Sonny turned to look at her, "Ah! No back talk and no stompin'," he warned, as Siena scowled at him. "IF you want ice pops after dinner, you're gonna take a nap." 

As he cooked, with Carina helping with the cheese and getting the paper plates on the table, Isabella put together a bottle and started feeding Theo his lunch. "Alright, let's get these babies on the table," Sonny said, carrying the plate of sandwiches over. "Juice for my girls and tea for Mommy." 

"Hmm, you know us so well," Isabella said, giving him a tired smile. "Would you be upset if I took a nap too? I'm exhausted." 

"Not at all," Sonny shook his head, as he got the kids ready for lunch. "Rest. I don't expect you to be runnin' about, while they're all asleep Iz. You've got two sick babies here..." 

At that, Ellie sneezed, before shoving a handful of her cut up sandwich in her mouth. "Okay, good," Isabella sighed, laying her head back against the chair. "There's not that much laundry left over, if you wanna finish it. Otherwise, you can finally catch up on all your shows you've DVR'd the last two weeks." 

Grabbing a jar of pickles out of the fridge, Sonny dished two out for Siena. "Sounds good," he nodded. "I may just take that nap with you guys. All that shoppin' today made me sleepy." 

"Welcome to my world," Isabella yawned, as the girls giggled over their food. "It'll only get worse, once we enter the teenage years." 

 

 


	66. nagging doubts

Isabella giggled, as Sonny left a trail of kisses from her ear, along her jaw and to her lips. 

"As much as I love you doing that," she murmured, her hand moving from his neck to the back of his head. "I need to shift a bit. My ass is going numb." 

Sonny snorted, pushing himself up so that she could move around on the bed. Once she was somewhat comfortable, Isabella pulled him back towards her, wrapping both arms around him this time. 

"What's wrong?" she sighed, as his hand slowly rubbed her arm. "You're in one of those moods, which means you had a rough day at work." 

"Rough case we picked up," Sonny sighed. "Makes me realize how scary the world of teenagers is. And that.. Carina's gettin' closer and closer to bein' a teenager.." 

Isabella nodded, "But we still have four years before she turns thirteen," she reminded him. "And many more years between now and when Lina, Siena and Ellie become teenagers." 

He nodded, closing his eyes as Isabella rubbed his back slowly. In return, Sonny moved his hand to Isabella's belly; his palm meeting the kicks of their unborn child. 

"How are you feelin'?" he suddenly asked, changing the subject. 

"I'm feeling great, baby. But don't change the subject," she said, giving him a small smile; her hand coming down to rest upon his. "I'm more worried about you, because I know how you get when this happens. If it deals with children or someone who resembles me in some way, you tend to go off the deep end between the early stages of the investigation and when the trial ends." 

Sonny sighed, "I know," he nodded. "I just think about the girls and then this one here," he said, nodding to her belly. "Part of me hopes it's a boy, but then I remember that teenage boys are just as bad.." 

His wife sighed, "Sonny, do you  _really_ think our children are going to grow up, being criminals?" she asked. "I mean, sure, they do have mouths on them. Even Ellie, with her screeching that she does." 

"I mean... I hope not." 

"They won't," Isabella insisted. "First of all, they know they won't get away with anything. Between having a NYPD sergeant for a Father, along with having half of our family working for the NYPD and the DA's office, they know they're not getting special privileges."

She moved to wrap one leg around his, putting the pressure off her hip. "And, as much as I love them, they would crack," she snorted. "Carina's too much of a tattle tale, Lina's all bark but no bite, and Siena? Siena's scared of her own shadow. Ellie, it's a bit early to tell since she's only a year old. But I bet she's going to be a total Daddy's girl, just like the other three are."

"Yeah, but..." Sonny shrugged slightly. "They're also gettin' to that age when they're not gonna want to spend any time with us. Soon, it'll be the "my parents are so embarrassin'!" and how we're ruinin' their lives. Do you realize that one day, sometime soon, they're not gonna want to hang out with you or me, as much as they want to now?" 

"Well.. kids to tend to seek some independence as they grow up," Isabella pointed out. "But I seriously and highly doubt, they'll ever want to stop hanging around with you, Sonny. Those girls  _worship_ the ground you walk on, more for you than for me. Maybe it's because you work a lot and all these weird hours, but they rather spend the weekends with you over me. And I don't blame them. They'd never want to stop hanging out with Daddy and you're so goddamn dorky now, that they wouldn't even know the difference once they're in high school and college." 

Sonny snorted, dropping his head against her chest. "We really don't have to worry about them, acting out and being bad kids, baby. Or that they'll ever stop loving us and wanting to be around us. " Isabella said. "And I know they know how to fight, because I caught Amanda teaching Carina and Evelina how to throw a right hook at the last family function."

"She did _what_?" Sonny asked, lifting his head up quickly. "Amanda's teachin' my kids how to fight?"

"I know how to throw a right hook," Isabella shot back. "Are you saying that I shouldn't know how to fight?"

He shook his head quickly, "No, I'm not sayin' that," he said quickly, watching as she smirked. "I just.. they're so young, Iz. They don't really need to be throwin' punches at the playground and shit.."

"They're not _throwing_ punches at the playground, Sonny," Isabella rolled her eyes. "They're too afraid to hit another child, because they've seen how I get when they're in trouble at school.  So they attack each  other instead over dolls and clothes. Food, too. Evelina _tackled_ Carina because she ate the last cheese stick after school." 

"Oh, Jesus," Sonny snorted, shaking his head. "They're so serious about the goddamn cheese."

They both laughed at that, "Well, they got it from you," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "But seriously, honey. They're gonna be good girls and they'll know how to protect each other in this crazy world that we live in."

Sonny nodded, "And, I don't expect them going to parties when they're older anyways," she shrugged. "I'm sure you'll scare them into staying home every weekend."

"I'm not sayin' they _can't_ go the parties," Sonny rolled his eyes.

"Sure, sure," Isabella scoffed, as she pulled him down for a kiss. "The weekends are _your_ thing, Sonny. They have been, long before we even got married, and they will be long after our kids move out.." 

 Isabella giggled as he tickled her lightly, as they rolled around in the sea of pillows and sheets. "How about we get ready for bed?" Sonny suggested, a few minutes later. "I saw that tupperware of chocolate chip cookies on the counter..." 

She beamed at him, "Cookies sound  _perfect,"_ she said, as he kissed her nose. "I made those while they were watching a movie. Homemade cookies sounded so much better than store bought cookies." 

"Anything sounds better to you now," Sonny snorted. "Hell, as long as you have an appetite this time around, I don't really care what ya eat." 

"Thank god," Isabella agreed, as Sonny got up from the bed. "I did laundry ,so you've got clean sweatpants in the dresser." 

Sonny gasped in surprise, "You mean, I finally have clothes to sleep in?" he teased, opening the dresser drawer. "I figured I'd be sleepin' in my underwear again tonight." 

She scoffed, heading towards the bedroom door. "Keep it up and you will," she warned, opening the door. "Change and meet me downstairs in five minutes. Otherwise, I'll eat all those cookies on my own." 

................

The next morning, Isabella woke to find her six and a half year old in bed, taking up the entire side that Sonny slept on. Leaving Evelina to sleep, Isabella got up and went to empty her bladder; at six months pregnant, Isabella felt much better this time around, than when she was pregnant with Ellie. Of course, everyone was still cautious and worried; being almost forty years old and way past the "over thirty-five" age group. 

Heading down the hall, Isabella heard the chatter coming from Carina and Evelina's room. That, along with Ellie's squeals, made Isabella slow in her steps. 

"But Daddy doesn't like mint tea, Siena!" Carina whined. "He likes berry teas, cuz berries are good for you." 

"No he doesn't!" Siena gasped, as Ellie continued to squeal and shout. "Daddy! Drink my tea!" 

Sonny chuckled, "I'll drink both of 'em," he said, as Isabella pushed the door open slowly to peek inside. "After this, we'll go check on Mommy and Lina, so we can make more pancakes for them." 

In one corner of the room, Sonny sat on the tiny chair that was part of Carina and Evelina's kitchen set; the "torture chair" as Sonny put it, having been a victim of back pain and leg cramps, sustained from hours of sitting on the hard lump of plastic. Dressed in their mix-matched pajamas- a mixture of flowers and Disney princesses- Carina and Siena wore their princess tiaras and carried their plastic tea cups and play food back and forth. In the other chairs, were stuffed animals and barbie dolls, while Ellie sat on Sonny's lap. 

"Does Ellie like beans?" Siena asked, her little face scrunched up into a frown. 

"Um... I don't know," Sonny said, before looking down at the baby. "Do you like beans, Ellie Belly?" 

Ellie screeched, kicking her feet up and down. "I take that as a no," he sighed. "No beans for the baby, Si. She's full of applesauce and pancakes anyways..." 

Shrugging, Siena moved back to her basket of play food, while Isabella quietly made her way into the room. Looking up from the girls, Sonny beamed at her, while Ellie focused on shoving her fist into her mouth. 

"Hey, Mommy," he grinned, as she came over to the table. 

"Mommy! Mommy!" Carina and Siena squealed, rushing to her. "You awake!" Siena giggled, wrapping her arms around her left leg. 

Carina giggled, "We made pancakes with Daddy!" she said, nodding quickly. "Chocolate chip pancakes and applesauce!" 

Isabella smiled, "Wow, that sounds delicious!" she gasped, as she smoothed their tangled hair back. "What are you guys doing in here? Are you playing with Daddy and Ellie?" 

"We're drinkin' tea!" Siena squealed, which Ellie mimicked. 

"Lina didn't want to play with us, Mommy," Carina said, as she placed a slice of bread on the table. "She was grumpy." 

Sonny nodded, "She's a real crank this mornin'," he shuddered, as Ellie giggled. "I told her to go lay down, but I'm guessin' she went into our bed?" 

She nodded, "Sound asleep on your side," Isabella shrugged, before leaning down to kiss him and Ellie. "Good morning, my sweet little baby! I heard you had pancakes and applesauce! Daddy's gonna have so much fun, changing your diaper later!" 

"Real nice, Iz," Sonny shook his head, as she moved to sit down on Evelina's bed. 

"Ah, that's what you get for giving her applesauce, first thing in the morning," she shrugged, watching as the girls played. "How long have you guys been up for anyways? It's almost nine-thirty and usually I wake up to find you and Ellie in bed with me, while the three monsters are still asleep in their beds." 

Sonny yawned, "Ellie woke up at seven thirty, which then woke Siena up," he started. "I had Ellie in a new diaper and Siena on the potty, when Carina woke up. Took the three of 'em downstairs to make breakfast, and Lina the troll monster came stompin' downstairs with an attitude. Sent her right back upstairs, when she threw a fit, all because we weren't havin' bacon for breakfast. " 

Impressed, Isabella smiled. "Daddy is due for a nap soon," she said, snickering at his eye roll. "I'm glad they ate though and Lina will have to get over it. Maybe, if she didn't scarf down half a package herself every weekend, we would have bacon left over." 

"Yeah, well..." Sonny shook his head. "Hopefully she'll wake up without the attitude." 

"Daddy, I'm sweepy now," Siena said suddenly, as she pouted. 

Isabella bit back the giggle, while Sonny chuckled. "Alright, put ya toys away," he nodded. "I'll put a movie on for you two and you can cuddle up in Rina's bed." 

Cleaning up, the girls quickly dove into the twin sized bed, waiting for Sonny to come and tuck them in. Taking Ellie, Isabella watched as the Sonny listed their film options, before popping one of the DVD's into the player. Tucking them both in, Sonny made sure to place a kiss on the cheeks and forehead, before tweaking their noses. 

"Ah, you two are too much," he said, as they giggled. "Mommy and I are gonna take Ellie downstairs. You two just rest and be lazy for the mornin', alright? Maybe we'll go out later for a walk and to get a special treat..." 

"Be good, ladies," Isabella teased, as she carried Ellie out of the bedroom.

Taking the stairs down to the kitchen, Isabella sat down at the counter on the bar stool, while setting Ellie on the counter. "So, what do you want?" Sonny asked, standing across from her. "I can make more pancakes for ya and I have strawberries I could cut up." 

"Hmm, surprise me," she shrugged, as Ellie giggled. "You always make the best breakfast anyways, so I'll eat anything you make." 

Sonny snorted, "Don't I know it," he mused, moving to grab a clean mixing bowl from the cabinet. 

Kissing Ellie's little hands, Isabella watched as Sonny started pouring out the pancake mix. "So.. are you still worried that the girls won't want to hang out with you?" she asked casually, as Ellie babbled. "Because, it looked very cozy in that room..." 

"I'm not  _as_ worried as I was," Sonny admitted, grabbing a mixing spoon from the drawer. "But.. I wont' stop worryin'." 

"No parent ever does," Isabella nodded, as he brought the bowl over to the counter. "These girls love you, Sonny. And I'm not saying that, because I'm their Mother. Anyone would be stupid to think otherwise." 

He blushed, "You don't think I'm too much of a loser, do you?" he asked, which made her frown. "I mean.. I'm that kinda Dad, who brings the video camera to dance recitals and other school functions. I have more pictures of my kids on my phone, than I do of anythin' else. All their teachers LOVE me, when I show up for those PTA meetin things and class parties..." 

Isabella giggled, "Sonny, you have an active role in their lives," she said. "I would be  _very_ concerned if you didn't video tape recitals or have thousands of pictures of them on your camera. And, teachers are kinda hot for dads." 

"Oh really?" Sonny asked, making a face. "Are you hot for any of your student's dads?" 

"God, no," she snorted. "They're all smug assholes, who think it's deplorable that a pregnant woman is actually  _working._ That I'm teaching a subject that, according to them, only men should be teaching." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "What a buncha jerks," he muttered, scooping a spoonful of chocolate chips into the batter. 

She nodded in agreement, "The teachers love you, because you're very involved in their upbringing," she said, as Ellie grabbed at her nose. "Ellie, no! And, it helps that you're a very handsome man. They always see you in a suit, with your badge on your hip. To them, that's super sexy. And, from what I've heard, you're a big hit on career day...." 

"Stop," Sonny blushed again. "You're makin' this up." 

"I am not!" Isabella gasped, her jaw dropping in shock. "I can't even begin to tell you how, and we're going back to when they were in daycare, the teachers asked me if you were going to come to the class parties and parent' conferences. They rather see you than me, because I'm a teacher and I call them out on shit. They find me annoying, but they adore you." 

He thought about her comment for a moment, before grinning. "Finally," he snorted, shaking his head.

"Finally? Finally what?"

Picking up the bowl, Sonny brought it over to the stove. "The tables have turned," he laughed, setting the frying pan back on the burner. "I was the annoyin' one back in the day, before I started working in Manhattan. Now? Now, I'm the cool one. I'd never thought I'd see the day! Isabella Marie Carisi: the annoyin' one!"

Rolling her eyes, Isabella looked at the baby sitting before her. "Daddy is such a dork," she muttered, as Sonny cackled to himself. "My poor Ellie Belly, what have I done? I tell Daddy he's the best and it goes to that gel-drenched head of his."

 


	67. halloween fun v.1

**Halloween 2027**

"Hey! Are you guys ready or what?" Sonny yelled from the bottom the staircase. "It's gettin' cold out there and I don't want to be out late!" 

From upstairs, he could hear the stomping of feet and Isabella yelling, as the girls fixed up their costumes. After a day of class parties and costume contests, the Carisi clan were finally heading out to do some trick or treating, before hiding in the house all weekend long; suffering from belly aches and sugar coma's no less. In his arms, Theo grunted and wiggled, having been already fed a bottle and changed into his costume. 

"I know, buddy," Sonny sighed, as Theo drooled. "Mommy and your sisters are always late." 

"I heard that, Dominick!" Isabella shouted, as Evelina and Siena made their way downstairs. 

Snorting, Sonny chuckled as the girls came down stairs, hand in hand. "Look at you two!" he gasped, as they giggled. "Maleficent and Sleepin' Beauty!" 

Siena beamed at him, "I saw Mommy's underwear, Daddy!" she giggled, which made Sonny snort. "It's gots kitties on them!" 

"Lovely, Siena," he shook his head, as Evelina rolled her eyes. "Is Carina in her costume yet?" 

"Mommy's putting hers on first," the six and a half year old said. "Rina's already in her costume." 

Frowning, Sonny looked down at his watch. "Then, what is she doin'?" he asked. 

They shrugged, "And Ellie for that matter?" he continued. "IZ!" 

"WHAT?!" 

He rolled his eyes, "What's takin' so long?" he shouted back. "C'mon, guys!" 

"Can we have our buckets?" Siena asked. "We wants to be ready to get our candies." 

"Where did Mommy put them?" he asked, as she and Evelina rushed into the kitchen. "Hopefully Mommy and your sisters will get down here soon. Otherwise, they're stayin' in and I'm takin' ya up and down the block once." 

Getting the girls their buckets, and having them sit at the table, Sonny shifted Theo from one hip to the other. "My lil' dragon," he chuckled, as Theo fussed. "Too bad Daddy couldn't get Mommy to be the dragon queen." 

The sound of footsteps on the staircase made his ears perk up, as Carina rushed into the kitchen. "Mommy had to change Ellie," she said, as soon as she saw him. "That's why it took us forever." 

"I figured a Storm Trooper came in and took all of ya," Sonny teased, tweaking her nose. "It's a good thing we got you that lightsaber, huh?" 

Dressed as Rey from  _Star Wars,_ Carina couldn't wait for Halloween. It had been her top costume choice since the Halloween last year, when she and Sonny couldn't find the costume anywhere. When early September rolled around, Carina made her parents take her to the store to buy the costume weeks in advanced. 

_"We have to buy it now! I wanna be Rey this year!"_

The costume came out of the bag and went onto a hanger, sitting on the hook in her closet. There was a countdown chart, as Carina counted off the days and weeks leading up to Halloween. Everything had to be perfect for the big day, from costume to hair, along with her toy lightsaber. 

"Sorry, Ellie pooped," Isabella said, as she held the one year on in her arms. "Had to take the entire costume off, before laying her down." 

"Oh,  _god,"_ Sonny said, as he both laughed and groaned. "Ellie! What did Mommy do to you?" 

In Isabella's arms, Ellie shrieked in displeasure, as she tugged at the feathers in her face. "She's a lil' chicken!" Isabella squealed, bouncing Ellie up and down in her arms. 

"She looks miserable!" 

"She looks  _adorable!"_ Isabella insisted. "You got to pick Theo's costume out!" 

Sonny rolled his eyes, as Ellie tugged at her costume. "Alright, Minnie Mouse," he sighed. "Lets get this show on the road! I wanna get back before it gets really cold and late, so we can feed these monsters and get 'em into bed at a reasonable hour." 

................

 

Long after dinner and spending a half hour, scrubbing off costume make up, Isabella had Carina, Evelina and Siena tucked into bed. Sonny had taken Ellie and Theo into the bath, giving her some time to shower and wash up, before they could enjoy their night alone. 

"Alright, Theo," Sonny sighed, as he fastened a clean diaper onto his bottom. "You ready for bed? Ellie's already in dreamland, as well as your sisters." 

Theo grabbed at his foot, his eyes wandering around the room, before settling onto Sonny; his mouth splitting into a toothless and drool-filled smile, as Sonny grabbed his pajamas off the side of the changing table. 

"Let's get you dressed and into bed," Sonny sighed, getting Theo into the Halloween printed onesie. "Hopefully, Mommy isn't eatin' all the candy..." 

Rocking the little boy to sleep in his arms, Sonny gently settled him down into the crib, pulling the blanket up to cover him. Turning on the mobile above the crib, Sonny made his way to the door and turned the light out, before closing the door halfway. 

Checking in on the girls, Sonny finally stepped into the bedroom, just as Isabella poked her head out of the bathroom. 

"Hey," she smiled at him, as she towel tried her wet hair. "Are they all asleep?" 

"Out cold," he remarked, pulling his shirt over his head. "How, I don't know. Considering the fact that the girls consumed so much sugar today..." 

Isabella snorted, as she stepped back into the bathroom, leaving him to finish stripping out of his clothes. Chucking everything into the hamper, Sonny sat down on his side of the bed, taking the time to remove his watch from his wrist. Relieved that it was the weekend, Sonny didn't have to set any alarms for the crack of dawn. Or rush down to Rafael's office to drop files off, or run around the city for hours on end. Two whole days, at home with his family, eating candy and watching Isabella mournfully pack away the Halloween decorations. 

"So, I was thinkin' tomorrow we could get the kids up and ready by nine," Sonny started, as Isabella finished getting ready for bed. "Go through their bags again before Frenchie and Dad come out to pick 'em all up.." 

Isabella didn't respond right away, which made him frown. "Iz?" he called out. "Did ya fall in?" 

A few seconds later, Isabella pulled the bathroom door opened and leaned against the doorway; her legs crossed at the ankles. Sonny swallowed thickly, as he eyes traveled from her feet, up her bare legs to the black lacy panties and loose fitting red tank top. Nestled, upon her hair of damp curls, sat a pair of sparkly Minnie Mouse ears. Her face had been scrubbed clean of the heavy eyeliner and blood red lips, and long gone was her sleeping bra. 

"Oh, Mickey," she teased, her voice dropping to a sultry tone, as she made her way across the room towards him. "We've finally got our kingdom all to ourselves." 

She climbed up onto his lap, pushing him back onto the mattress. "You've been a bad, bad girl, Minnie," Sonny groaned against her lips, as his hands settled on her ass. "A  _very_ bad girl." 

"Are you gonna punish me?" Isabella asked, as she rolled her hips against his. "Hm? Gonna pick someone else to be your girl? Daisy? Ariel? Belle?" 

"Nah, you're my girl, Minnie," Sonny said, as he pulled the strap of her tank top down. "I'm gonna show you, doll. You're my queen of this kingdom." 

...............

**Halloween 2028**

The next year, as Minnie and Mickey mouse took a  _long_ vacation from the Carisi's master bedroom, out came Sally and Jack. Dressed with full body paint and costumes, Sonny and Isabella were guests at a Halloween Party in Brooklyn. 

"Yo, look at these two," Fin chuckled, as he made his way over to the couple. "Some scary shit, Carisi." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Anythin' to please the wife," he murmured, as Isabella made her way over to them with Amanda. "I wanted to do a mask, but Iz was hellbent on gettin' some makeup on me." 

"Wow, Carisi," Amanda whistled, eyeing the black and white pinstripe suit and face paint. "Did you lose a bet or somethin'?" 

"Iz, why couldn't we do somethin' simple like Manda and Fin?" Sonny whined, taking in his co-workers costumes. "They went as devils! We could've been angels!" 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Because we always do what  _you_ want to do for Halloween," she whined. "Your parents have the kids this weekend, so that we could party with our friends and suffer the hangover the next day." 

"She's got a point there, Carisi," Fin shrugged. "You always pick the costumes for these things, even though you despise this holiday. Iz is the true Halloween queen here.." 

"Thanks, Fin!" Isabella grinned, which made Sonny shudder; the blue face paint and faux stitches done in black eyeliner and blood red lips, made her look truly more dead than alive. "Anyone know where Liv is? She was supposed to be here an hour ago!" 

Amanda checked her phone, "Her cab just pulled up,' she said, reading the text. "Fin, come down with me to meet her? You two wanna grab some drinks and find a spot to hangout?" 

Nodding, they watched as Amanda and Fin made their way through the crowd, before heading to the bar. Selecting a few drinks, they juggled them over to a table and placed them down. 

"My face feels weird," Sonny complained, as he pulled Isabella down onto his lap. "Are you sure this shit was safe? If I break out into some weird rash..." 

"You're going to be fine," Isabella insisted. "We'll take a nice long shower when we get home, and it'll come off. It's not like we're going out tomorrow anyway, since the kids aren't due to come home til Sunday." 

Sonny nodded, "You look very handsome by the way, Mr. Skellington," Isabella purred, placing a light peck against his painted lips.

Placing his hand on her hip, Sonny chuckled. "You look gorgeous, Sally," he said, giving her hip a squeeze. 

"Hmmm, I can't wait for you to fuck me later," Isabella whispered, making him gasp in surprise, as she leaned in closer to his ear. "I'm so wet right now, Sonny." 

" _Isabella!"_ he hissed, as she grinned at him. "Jesus Christ... what's gotten into you?"

Isabella wrapped her arms around his next, "I finally have a night away from the kids, after  _months_ of begging our parents," she shrugged. "And... you're so fucking sexy when you're dressed up." 

He nodded slowly, "But, I'm always dressed up," he shrugged. "You know. For work..." 

"Yes, but when you're in a costume?" Isabella started, as she ran her fingers along the lapels of the costume jacket. "I can't get enough of it.." 

"Jesus, Isabella," Sonny snorted. "You mean.. you get all hot and bothered when I'm takin' the kids out for candy?" he asked, as she nodded. "Christ, you're gonna kill me one of these days."

Giggling, Isabella grabbed her drink from the table and took a small sip, before setting it back down. "We'll stay for a couple of hours and I'll take ya home with me," she said, as Sonny kept his arms around her waist. "We can shower, have sex and eat that cheesecake in the fridge." 

Sonny smiled at her, "God, you know a way to my heart," he said, as her fingers toyed at the hair at the base of his neck. "I'm gonna fuck ya real good, Iz. That should be me prize for dressin' up like this skull guy, after all." 

"Oh trust me," she nodded." Whatever you want, baby." 

..............

"We won Best Couple and Best Costume!" Isabella squealed, as she held the little awards in her hands. "We won! We won!" 

Sonny snorted as she danced around their bedroom, while he prepared the shower for them. "I guess that means you'll want to pick out the costumes from here on out, huh?" he asked, as she giggled.

Setting everything down on the bed, Isabella made her way over to him. "Let's go shower," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Wanna fuck you so bad, Sonny." 

"C'mon, Sally," he teased, pulling her into the bathroom. "You've been rollin' in that graveyard all night. God only knows what's on ya." 

Showering and fooling around, they managed to get most of the body paint off of each other, before toweling off. "We can always get the rest off tomorrow," Sonny murmured, as they headed downstairs. "You want that cheesecake or somethin' else?" 

Isabella giggled, "Define "something else," Sonny," she teased, eyeing his naked form. "Hmmm, can you  _wear_ the cheesecake." 

"Iz," Sonny gave her a pointed look, as he stood before the open refrigerator. "I think a half hour in the bathroom was enough for now. We need to eat, since all we had were those fancy lil finger food things.." 

"Well, since we're both a lil' tipsy," Isabella started, as Sonny dug through the containers and boxes. "We can't use the oven or stove." 

Sonny nodded as he took out bag of carrots," You got any of that fancy dip?" he asked, peering between the containers of yogurt and spreads. 

Making her way over to him, Isabella easily found the dip, "Hmm, we can eat this too," she said, grabbing the pre-sliced cheese platter. "Can you grab some water?"

They lounged on a mess of blankets and couch pillows in the living room, enjoying a child free house for the first time in months. Eating and fooling around, they curled up in their little nest to finally fall asleep around two in the morning. 

"Hmm, I kinda like Halloween," Sonny murmured sleepily, as Isabella burrowed against him. "If it gets ya all hot and bothered, I'm down for dressin' up.." 

"Good," Isabella yawned. "Just wait an see what I got for Halloween, Sonny.." 

 


	68. Theo's First Cold

Like all common firsts, it really wasn't a surprise when Theo came down with his first cold, two weeks after he started daycare. Given that it was the summer when he was born, Isabella and Sonny didn't enroll him into daycare until September of that year. Right when the girls went back to school and Isabella went back to work since May. 

Nearly three months old, the little boy survived his first week away from home; his teachers  _adored_ him, expressing how  _adorable_ he was. 

_"He's such a good boy! Eats without a fuss, sleeps without a fuss and makes diapering the easiest task for us!"_

_"He's such a little ham! Grins every time we take his pictures for his tadpole report!"_

Ms. Georgina and Ms. Camille were no strangers to the Carisi clan, given that they had the girls in the infant room, going back to when Carina was about the same age as Theo. In a way, the two women had become like family to Sonny and Isabella, making sure their babies were safe and happy, while they worked. 

Then the call came in, on Sonny's day off, that Theo needed to be picked up. A fever and congestion, along with refusing his bottle and a nap, made the father of five anxious. Having gone through countless episodes of illness with the girls before, it always made Sonny anxious. 

"What happened, lil' man?" Sonny asked, as he made his way into the classroom; having put on the protective booties over his beat up sneakers. "I figured you'd last at least another month, before gettin' sick." 

"I should've noticed that something was wrong, when he ate very little this morning," Ms. Georgina said, as she packed up his diaper bag. "Theo has the appetite of a one year old! Only drank an ounce of breast milk and a small spoonful of baby oatmeal." 

Sonny nodded, as he held the screeching boy in his arms. "He feels so hot," he winced, as Theo batted his arms about, before coughing harshly. "Okay, okay, it's gonna be alright. We'll go right to the doctor and Mommy will meet us there..." 

Signing the illness log, Sonny took the diaper bag and thanked the women. "Seriously, you two are a godsend," he said, once Theo was strapped into his carrier. "You've taken such good care of our babies. Iz and I couldn't thank you enough." 

"It's our pleasure," Ms. Camille said, as she fed another child in the rocking chair. "They're so sweet, your girls and this little ham. I hope he feels better soon!" 

Signing Theo out, with the promise to return around three for Ellie, Sonny carried the boy out to the car and strapped the seat into the back. 

"Alright," he sighed, closing the door after getting into the car. "Let's call Mommy and we'll head to the doc.." 

As soon as he got Isabella on the phone, Sonny placed it on speaker and set it into the phone holder. "I'm leavin' now," he said, as he started out the parking lot. "Poor kid is screeching, Iz." 

He could hear her moving on the other end, along with the noise in the main office. "What was his temp?" she asked, before saying her goodbye's to the ladies at the desk. 

"The took it five minutes before I got in and it was one hundred and one," Sonny sighed, as he drove. "I'm five minutes away from the doctors office. Hopefully we won't have to sit and wait too long, before gettin' called in." 

"Me either," Isabella sighed. "I'll hail a cab and I should be there soon," she promised. "Just call me if he gets worse." 

Promising to do so, they hung up. "It's alright, Theo," Sonny said, as the boy continued to wail in his car seat. "We'll get some medicine in ya and we'll cuddle up in bed all afternoon..." 

............

Sonny lounged in bed, as Theo slept deeply on his chest, wheezing and coughing. Having just taken his temperature again, Isabella gave him the required dose of ibuprofen, before administering prescribed ear drops into Theo's right ear. 

"Poor kid got hit with a double whammy," Sonny said gently, as he ran his hand up and down his back. "Ear infection and respiratory infection." 

"At least he's sleeping now," Isabella said, as the baby snored; his little nose whistling with breath. "And that we didn't have to take him to the hospital..." 

He nodded, "Luckily this happened on a Friday and the weekend that Carina has her big sleepover with Brennan," he shrugged lightly. "And, that you're off Monday for the Jewish holiday.." 

She nodded, "Thank god," she sighed deeply. "I'm gonna strip his crib down and sanitize it, before putting new sheets in. And I have to get the humidifier out and ready, that way he can sleep better.." 

"Let me know when you get his crib ready," Sonny said, as Theo coughed. "I'll put him down and get Rina's bag ready for later. And I'll clean out Theo's diaper bag and wash his sheets for Tuesday..." 

While Isabella cleaned up Theo's room, Sonny laid with the sleeping infant, wincing at each cough. Hoping that he wouldn't wake up, Sonny made sure to stay still and quiet as possible. It was nap time, and outside of school, Sonny and Isabella did their best to stick to the nap schedule that Ellie and Theo had at the daycare. 

"Okay, it's ready for him," Isabella said, as she stood in the doorway of their bedroom. "I put the fluffy blanket down his crib that Liv got him. And, he's little polar bear is in the crib with him as well." 

"Sounds good," Sonny said quietly, as he eased out of bed. "Shhh, it's alright buddy." 

Theo whimpered in his sleep, as Sonny carried him out the bedroom and across the hall to his nursery. Carefully, Sonny laid the little boy down and pulled the blanket up to his little knees. With the mattress elevated to help minimize the coughing, Sonny put on the mobile above the crib and pulled the side up. 

"I hate when they get sick," Sonny pouted, as he closed the door halfway. "Especially that young. They're so helpless and there's so much danger when it comes to the little ones." 

"Me too," Isabella nodded, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "That screeching when the doctor checked his ears..." 

Sonny shuddered at the memory, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Hopefully the medicine will start to kick in and he'll be back to normal by Sunday night." 

Isabella nodded, "Let's go clean up downstairs and enjoy the peace and quiet, before we have to get the kids." 

..............

"Why's Theo coughing, Daddy?" Siena asked, as Isabella moved around Theo's nursery. "He sounds awful!" 

"He's got a little cold," Sonny said, urging the little girl down the hall to her own bedroom. "Mommy's gonna change his diaper and give him some medicine..." 

Rushing to her bed, Siena waited patiently for Sonny to help her in, snuggling underneath her comforter. "Will he get better?" she asked, as Sonny sat down on the edge of her bed. 

Sonny nodded, "He's gonna be fine, sweetheart," he said, giving her a tired smile. "He's just gotta rest this weekend.." 

"I don't want to get sick, Daddy," Siena shook her head. "Cuz, I have things to do. My weekend is booked with stuffs." 

"Siena, you're four and a half," Sonny reminded her. "What could you possibly have planned for the weekend?" 

The little girl huffed, rolling her eyes in the process- a trait she picked up from her older sisters and her Mother. "I gots princess movies to watch, tea parties with my dollies and eating cookies," she listed. "And, I have pictures to draw and naps to take! I'm a busy girl, Daddy!" 

He snorted, "My apologies," he said, holding his hands up. "As long as your happy doin' all that, I have nothin' to say." 

"You can have cookies with me, Daddy," Siena smiled sweetly. 

"Yeah, I may just take ya up on that," Sonny nodded. "I'll go pick some up tomorrow, since I gotta get Ellie and Theo more diapers. And milk and orange juice, since the four of you guzzle it down like it's goin' out of style." 

Siena giggled and he tickled her lightly, "But we're growing girls, Daddy! Zio Fin tells us that all the time!" she giggled, as Sonny smoothed the blankets down. 

"That you are," Sonny mused, before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead and both cheeks. "Get some sleep, Si Si. You've got a busy weekend ahead of ya." 

Snuggling further under her blankets, Siena rolled onto her side, with her stuffed unicorn clutched to her chest. With her night light on, Sonny checked in on Ellie, who was sound asleep in her crib on the opposite side of the bedroom. Easing out of the room, Sonny went to check on Evelina, who was taking advantage of having the bedroom to herself for the weekend. 

"Another half hour and the TV is gettin' turned off," Sonny warned, as she watched her movie. "You're six and that means bedtime is still eight-thirty." 

"But, Daddyyy!" Evelina whined, pouting. "It's Friday!" 

He gave her a stern look, "You know the rules, Lina," he reminded her, as she continued to pout. "Either the TV goes off in a half hour or I turn it off now." 

Falling silent, Evelina turned her attention back to the movie playing, giving Sonny the chance to check in on Theo and Isabella. 

"Alright, my sweet boy," Isabella sighed, as she moved around the room, swaying the fussy boy in her arms. "Back to sleep you go! You're gonna need a lot of rest, so that you get better quickly!" 

Theo fussed, his arm waving about, as his feet kicked. "Shhhh," Isabella whispered gently, as she bounced in her steps. "C'mon, Theo." 

Easing into the room, Sonny held his arms out. "Lemme take him for a while," he said, as Isabella looked over at him. "You get ready for bed.." 

"Are you sure?" she asked, as Theo continued to fuss. 

"Yeah," Sonny nodded. "I'm off this weekend anyway, so I can afford to stay up late.." 

Carefully, Isabella handed the boy over to him, before fixing her clothes. "He had a little bit of poop when I changed him, so he's probably constipated," she said, watching as the infant whimpered against Sonny's shoulder. "I took his temperature and it's dropped to ninety-nine, which is good. He also had three ounces of breastmilk, so his appetite is coming back..." 

Sonny nodded, as he moved his hand in small circles against Theo's back. "Hopefully by tomorrow he'll be better than he is now," he reasoned. "This weekend, we'll stay home and relax. Other than goin' up to the store, there's really no need to go out." 

"Thank god," Isabella yawned. 

"Go on," Sonny said, nodding towards the door. "Go shower and get into bed. I'll be there soon..." 

Placing a kiss onto the infant's cheek, Isabella quietly made her way across the hall to the master bedroom, leaving Sonny to put the boy to bed. 

"Alright," Sonny sighed, as he grabbed a burp cloth from the changing table. "Let's burp ya and get ya to bed, Theo." 

..............

By Sunday morning, Theo's fever had stabilized and his appetite was almost back to normal. Still coughing and dripping from the nose, his parents were also battling the diarrhea that came with the medication. 

"How much shit can you shit, Theo?" Sonny asked, as he washed the boy down in the tub. "I love ya, but god do ya stink!" 

With Siena napping and Evelina downstairs making cookies with Isabella, Sonny was left to deal with the back to back diaper blowouts. Once the boy was cleaned and dried, Sonny got him into a fresh diaper and clean clothes, before rocking him to sleep. 

"Hopefully the poop train has left the station," he said, as the boy started to doze off in his arms. "I just bought that box of diapers yesterday and it's you that's used half the box." 

At that, Theo managed a small smile, before breaking out into a wide yawn. Within seconds, the little boy was out cold and snoring in his father's arms, all thanks to the rocking and medicine running through his body. Giving it a few minutes, Sonny carefully eased out of the rocking chair and set Theo down in the crib again. Tucking him in and putting the mobile on, Sonny adjusted the humidifier and turned on the sound machine; the sounds of nature filling the nursery, which would no doubt, block out the usual city noises. 

Checking on the baby monitor before he turned the lights off, Sonny closed the door halfway. Checking in one last time on the girls, tucking them back under the blankets and turning off Evelina's television, Sonny finally made his way into his room. 

"I'm exhausted," he said, before face planting into his pillows. 

"You're tellin' me," Isabella snorted, as she laid out on her side of the bed. "Thank god everyone's off tomorrow, Sonny. My entire body  _aches."_

Sonny lifted his head up to look at her, frowning. "You better not be gettin' sick, Iz," he warned, as she yawned. "The last time you were sick, you took the girls down with ya." 

Isabella sighed, as she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. "You know me, Sonny," she mumbled. "Whatever they get, I get..." 

"Yeah, but still," he said, sitting up. "This is the last thing we need.." 

Reaching out, Sonny laid his palm against her forehead, before moving his hand to her cheek and down to her neck. "You feel a lil warm," he fussed, before getting out of bed. "Take somethin', just to be safe." 

"Sonny, even if I take something now, it won't matter," she called out, as she rummaged through their medicine cabinet. "I've been with Theo all weekend. Whatever he has, I already have it as well..." 

Coming out with a bottle of NyQuil and a cup of water, Sonny shot her a look. "Just humor me, Iz," he said, as he poured out the right dosage. "Worse case scenario, is that you end up goin' to the doctor." 

Downing the medication with a grimace and a gag, Isabella washed it down quickly with the water, before handing the cup back to him. "You're such a germaphobe," she muttered, as Sonny went to put the medicine back in the bathroom. 

"Yeah, but ya love me anyways," he remarked, coming back out. "Now, let's get some sleep. Before one of them wakes up again, especially Theo. I changed six shitty diapers today, and only one of them came from Ellie." 

"And that's different from any other day?' Isabella asked, as Sonny turned the lamp off. "He's still a baby-baby, Sonny. He shits a lot when he's not sick, because all he does is eat. The kid's eyes are bigger than his stomach!" 

Sonny snorted, as he pulled the blankets up to cover them both. "Well, he's gotta eat if he's gonna be big and strong," Sonny pointed out. "How else will he defend himself, with four sisters runnin' about." 

Isabella huffed, pulling her pillow down to lay comfortably under her head. "He'll be fine," she insisted, as Sonny kissed her on the nose. "He's a Carisi. He's already destined to be big and strong, just like his Daddy." 

.............

The next morning, Isabella woke up with a stuffy nose and sore throat. 

Taking her temperature, ten minutes after waking up, Sonny cursed up a storm as he got the medicine together for her. 

"I told ya!" he yelled from their bathroom. 

Isabella coughed, as she pulled the blankets up to her chin, pulling them tightly around her. "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, wincing at the rawness of her throat. "Sonny, hurry up!" 

By the middle of the week, Sonny was struck down with a cold, while the girls managed to miss it all together. Thankful for her in-laws, Ellie and Theo spent the week with Dominick and Angela, while Brennan's parents took Carina, Evelina and Siena to and from school. 

 _"We've all been there,"_ Corrine said, when Isabella called her Wednesday night. " _Just focus on getting better, Iz. If you want, the girls can sleep over Friday night into Sunday. Brennan's always asking about having Evelina and Siena spending the weekend, as well as Carina."_

Taking the offer, the girls would spend the weekend with Brennan and her parents, so that Sonny and Isabella could fight off their cold. 

"I love 'em, but god are they fuckin' brutal with the germs," Sonny mumbled, as he and Isabella fought off their fevers together. "So fuckin' brutal." 

"At least they won't catch this cold." Isabella said, before sneezing into a tissue. 

Sonny coughed, "Yeah, until they bring home the next disease from school," he grumbled, shifting his head against the pillow. "Why get 'em vaccinated, if they're gonna get sick anyways?" 

Isabella fought the eyeroll, "You can't get vaccinated for the simple cold, Sonny," she groaned, as he took her hand into his. "When we started our family, we technically signed up for getting their germs."

"I don't remember signin' that contact at the hospital," Sonny grumbled, before sniffling. "I just signed a birth certificate and discharge papers, after you popped out each meatball.." 

"I'm too tired, too sick and too achey to fight with you right now," Isabella mumbled, closing her eyes. "If all you're gonna do is complain, then please go sleep on the couch downstairs." 

He pouted, scooting closer to her. "And die alone from this disease?" he whimpered.

Isabella opened her eyes, which were glassy and bloodshot, and glared at him. "You're gonna die alright," she hissed. "When I smother you with a fucking pillow for being overdramatic." 

...........

When they recovered and the house was germ-free, Sonny and Isabella welcomed their babies back with open arms and smiles on their faces. 

"For lil petri dishes, filled with germs, I do enjoy gettin' 'em back," Sonny said, as he held Ellie in his arms. 

"I'll remember that when they get us sick again," Isabella teased, as she ushered the older girls towards the stairs. "C'mon, you three! Let's get those bags empty and those hands washed! Mommy and Daddy are gonna start dinner soon and we want to hear about your weekend!" 

Ellie giggled as Sonny blew a raspberry against her neck. "C'mon, Ellie Belly," he sighed, as she grabbed at his face. "Come tell me about your lil' vacation.." 

 


	69. midnight snacking

"Sonny, you're going to wake the kids up!" Isabella hissed, as her husband dug through the bag of chips. "Why couldn't you let me put them in a bowl?" 

He scoffed, "The point of sneaking a late night snack, is to take the whole bag," he said, shoving a handful of chips into his mouth. "Not to put 'em in a bowl! Just eat ya mug cake or whatever the hell that thing is.." " 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella quietly and carefully took a handful for herself, making sure not to get a stray chip on the couch. The time on the cable box read a quarter after twelve, as the snow fell outside in light flurries. With the kids upstairs, sound asleep in their beds, Isabella and Sonny were too awake to climb into bed as well. With few opportunities to do anything without a kid attached to their hip, they decided to raid the cabinets for a late night snack. 

"God, I haven't been able to eat a bag of chips since Carina started eatin' solids," Sonny said, as he ate. "Even when they're not home for the weekend, I'm always missin' out with the junk food." 

"That's because I end up eating it all," Isabella mumbled, grabbing her glass of water. "Then I bitch and wonder why I can't zip up my jeans the next day..." 

Sonny snorted, "Yeah, but you make up for it by runnin' after the kids," he reminded her. "And drinkin' water and that poison you call tea. You know, the one that makes ya shit at two in the mornin'.." 

Isabella scowled, "It's not  _poison_ ," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's green tea and it's good for you! It's healthier to cleanse your digestive tract that way, instead of taking laxatives that can cause you serious damage!" 

"Iz, it's not good for you," he said, shaking his head. "Especially when you start cryin' and I have to come in there and hold ya hand. I love ya, but watchin' you shit while bein' on little to no sleep, isn't fun." 

"I had to do it for you plenty of times, Sonny," she shot back, as she stabbed at the cake in her mug. "Between stomach viruses, massive hangovers and helping you clean your vasectomy incision.. I've been more intimate with your junk and your asshole than our doctor." 

He shook his head, "And, you act like you've never helped me out down there before," she continued. "Who was the one that had to make sure, after I pooped, that I was clean down there? After each birth that is? You had to play doctor during the first six weeks, just to make sure nothing looked out of the ordinary down there. And, you had to hold my hand and coach me during the first few times I had to poop!" 

Sonny held up his hand, which was stained with cheese residue, "Can we not talk about poop right now?" he asked, making a face. "I'm eatin'." 

"You were the one that brought it up!" 

"And you keep on talkin' about poop!" 

They both glared at each other, albeit playfully at that, before they went back to eating their snacks. Closing the bag, Sonny placed it on the coffee table before them, before reaching into the drawer of the side table near the sofa. 

"Only we would put a pack of wipes in drawers around our house," Sonny mused, as he opened the package. 

"Yeah, well," Isabella shrugged, taking the package from his offered hand. "With five kids, you never know when you're gonna need 'em." 

Wiping their fingers, they both brushed off any crumbs, before cuddling up onto the couch with the heavy throw blanket, watching the snow flurries through the front windows of the house. "Did you still want to put up Christmas decorations tomorrow?" Sonny asked, as he ran his hand up and down Isabella's back. "I could start takin' everything up from the basement after breakfast..." 

She shrugged, "If you want to," she said. "I know Carina wanted to do the pink and gold ornaments this year, along with my Nonna's ornaments and yours. We could do white lights this year, instead of the multicolored ones.." 

"Is that why she wanted this pink glittered reindeer?" Sonny chuckled. "I took her to that abomination of a craft store to get her some craft kit, and she wanted me to buy this little reindeer that was gold and had hot pink glitter on it's legs. Thing was friggin thirty bucks!" 

"Yeah, she's obsessed with rose gold," Isabella giggled. "She asked if my engagement ring and wedding band were pure gold last week. So, when I told it was rose gold, suddenly everything had to be rose gold." 

He sighed, "Maybe you's two could paint a reindeer gold and pink," he said. "And if those are the colors you want this year, that's fine. But, you can check to make sure all those lights work, because I'm not spendin' my Saturday, untanglin' them all." 

Isabella yawned, "So, we'll have the girls do it," she said, pressing her nose against his neck. "It'll help perfect their fine motor skills and keep the busy for a few hours...." 

...................

"MY CHIPS!" 

Sonny let out a startled snort, while Isabella groaned, pulling the blanket up and over her head. Blinking a few times, Sonny turned his head and found Evelina standing near the coffee table, holding the half empty bag of chips in her hand. 

"Daddy, you ate my chips!" she cried, pouting at him. "You gonna get fat now!" 

Sonny groaned, "Lina... go back to bed," he mumbled, as his tightened his hold on Isabella. "It's...." he squinted at the time on the cable box. "It's a quarter to six in the mornin' .What are you doin' out of bed?" 

"I wanted water and you and Mommy weren't in your bed," she huffed. "I find my chips gone and you ate them all." 

"It wasn't just me," Sonny yawned. "Mommy had some too. And she had a mug cake, or whatever it's called.." 

He grunted when Isabella elbowed him in the gut, "I'll get ya a new bag later," Sonny promised. "Go upstairs and back to bed. Mommy and I are gonna head up to our bed and sleep for a little bit." 

Evelina pouted, "I'll make somethin' special for breakfast," he bribed, yawning. "Go on. You'll love it, sweetheart." 

Stomping back upstairs, Evelina left her parents to themselves out in the living room. "God, she's such a brat sometimes," Isabella mumbled as Sonny yawned. "I don't know who the hell she thinks she's talking to sometimes.." 

"Yeah and she got that attitude from you," Sonny pointed out, which made her scoff. "I'm a ray of  _sunshine,_ Iz. There's no attitude comin' from me..." 

Climbing off the couch, Sonny took the remains of their feast, carrying them into the kitchen. Folding up the blanket, Isabella dropped it over the arm of the couch, before making her way upstairs to their bedroom. Brushing her teeth, Isabella face planted on the bed, as Sonny walked through the door. 

"I'm too tired to brush my teeth," Sonny whined, as Isabella shifted on the bed. 

"Go brush them," she said, pulling the blankets up to her shoulders. "I don't wanna hear you bitching, when we go to our follow up at the dentist next week, that you have cavities or something.." 

Muttering, Sonny brushed his teeth quickly, before climbing into bed next to her. "Ugh, I feel gross now," he mumbled, shifting his head against the pillow. 

Isabella sighed deeply, as she wiggled under the blankets. "That's what ya get for eating so many chips before bed," she snarked, as he continued to whine. "Sonny, go to sleep already. Its' bad enough that you promised Lina a special surprise for breakfast. That alone, guarantees a wake up call before the sun is even up." 

...................

A giggle, followed by the rustling of plastic, filled the room as Sonny tip-toed quietly down the staircase. All the lights downstairs were off, save for the one over the stove; a necessity for Sonny, when he woke up at a quarter to six every morning to get ready for work, before waking the kids. 

"Shhh," Carina hissed. "You're gonna wake Mommy and Daddy up, Siena!" 

"Sorry," Siena whispered, as more light filled the kitchen. "I'm doing the best that I cans!" 

Sonny managed to keep his laughter at bay, as he peered around the entryway to watch; cabinet doors were wide open, as Evelina and Siena ate from bags of chips and packages of cookies. Carina, stood on her toes as she searched for the hidden chocolate bars; the three that were currently hiding where the butter should've been, way too high up for the ten year old. 

"Do you see the chocolate?" Evelina asked, as she made her way over to the fridge. "I know Mommy put it in there! I watched her do it!" 

"No," Carina huffed. "Maybe she ate it all." 

Siena pouted at the thought, "Mommy always eats the chocolate," she said sadly, which made Sonny's heart break just a bit. "Daddy always gives us chocolates. Even the ones that Mommy hides from us.." 

"I need a chair," Carina said, nodding. "Maybe she hid it behind the milk this time!" 

It was at that moment that Sonny had to put it to an end, before someone got hurt. Reaching around the wall, Sonny flipped the light switch, making the three girls jump in a startled surprise. 

"Daddy!" Siena squeaked, moving to hide the package of cookies behind her. "What are you doing out of bed?" 

"Funny, I was gonna ask you three the same question," Sonny said, as he folded his arms across his chest. 

The girls looked at one another; their faces, hands and nightgowns covered in crumbs. "We were just hungry," Carina shrugged, as Siena nodded. 

The five year old stepped forward, "We just wanted some cookies, Daddy," she said sweetly. "Honest." 

"And chocolate!" Evelina piped up. "But, Mommy ate it all." 

"It's way past your bedtimes and little girls shouldn't be eatin' this late," Sonny reminded them, as he moved to put away the stray packages. "You three are lucky it was me that caught ya's. If Mommy came down here and saw this, you would all be grounded." 

Whining, the girls watched as Sonny cleaned up, before sending them upstairs to wash their hands and faces. "Quietly," he whispered. "Your Mommy, Ellie and Theo are sleepin'!" 

Brushing their teeth and washing their hands, the girls went through the torture of having their faces scrubbed clean with a washcloth. "Now, let's go back to bed," Sonny sighed, chucking the rag into the hamper. "It's way too early to be up and runnin' about!" 

Tucking Evelina and Carina back into their beds, Sonny gave them each a kiss, before walking Siena back into the bedroom she shared with Ellie. 

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she whispered, as Sonny tucked her back into bed. "I didn't wanna get up but they made me do its." 

"Oh they did, did they?" Sonny asked, suppressing a chuckle as she nodded. "Well, next time, you come and wake me up. I don't know how you three can be this hungry, considering you guys ate nearly the entire pot of noodles for dinner. And, had ice cream afterwards." 

Siena shrugged, "We're always hungry, Daddy," she said, as if it was the most logical excuse. "Mommy says we gots that from you." 

Sonny snorted, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll give you that," he said, which made Siena giggle. "But, you can't get up in the middle of the night, just to find something to eat. If anythin', you come wake us up. The last thing we want, is for a gallon of milk to fall on ya head!" 

"Kay," Siena yawned, as she sunk down into the cocoon of blankets and stuffed animals. 

"Get some sleep, Si," Sonny whispered, as he dropped a kiss to her forehead. 

Checking quickly on Ellie, Sonny crawled back into bed and under the warmth of the the blankets. "Did they break anything?" Isabella mumbled, as she laid still under the blankets. 

He chuckled, "Nah," he said softly, rolling onto his side to wrap his arm around her waist. "Everythin's good, Iz. They're just three lil' piggies, is all." 

"Just like their Daddy," she mumbled, before breaking out into a long and drawn out yawn. "I hope they didn't find the chocolate.." 

"Nah, they didn't," Sonny promised, as she snuggled closer to him. "Of all the things in that kitchen, your chocolate was the only thing they couldn't find.." 

 


	70. little helper pt2.

Sonny pulled the refrigerator door open, reaching in to grab another box of butter; the door covered in a mixture of handprint turkeys, feather collages and pictures. The inside was packed with a mixture of food and drink, along with a turkey that took up nearly half a shelf. 

"Daddddyyyy!!" Carina called out, as she rushed downstairs and into the kitchen; the fluttering of paper trailing after her. 

"What's the matta?" Sonny asked, as he moved back to the counter where the mixer sat. "Did someone poop again?" 

The six year old came to a full stop next to him, looking up to see what he was doing. "I drew another picture," she announced, holding up the yellow piece of construction paper. 

Wiping his hands on a dish towel, Sonny took the picture from her. "Oh wow!" he gasped, eyeing the blobs of multicolors along the page. "This is super nice, Carina!" 

"It's turkeys eatin' chickens!" she giggled, as Sonny snorted. 

"Well, I think it's adorable," Sonny nodded, despite how violent the act sounded. "Let's put it on the fridge with all the other pictures." 

Walking her back to the fridge, Sonny handed her a couple of alphabet magnets, watching as she hung the paper up. "Can I help you make the food now?" Carina asked, looking up at him. "I don't wanna color anymore." 

He shrugged, "I don't see why not," he said, picking her up into his arms. "Mommy's makin' me make the cheesecake.." 

"The one that tastes like coffee??" she gasped, which made Sonny laugh. 

"The mocha cheesecake," he confirmed. "And, since Mommy is too busy on the phone with Grandma, we can lick the spoons!" 

Squealing, Carina sat on the counter, a good few inches away from the mixer, watching quietly as Sonny put all the ingredients together. She sampled a spoonful of unsweetened whipped cream, some chocolate syrup, followed by the a spoonful of the completed batter. 

"I love food," she sighed, as Sonny grabbed the springform pan that held the homemade crust. 

"You and everyone else," Sonny chuckled, handing her the bag of mini chocolate chips. "Alright, once all of this stuff is in the pan, you can sprinkle some chocolate chips on top..." 

Watching intently, Carina giggled as she sprinkled the chips along the top of the cheesecake, while Sonny supervised. 

"What else can we make?" Carina asked, once Sonny stored the treat into the freezer. "Can we make the turkey?" 

"The turkey is goin' into the oven tomorrow mornin'," Sonny said, as he started cleaning up the mess on the counter. "How about... some cookies?" 

Carina nodded furiously. "Can we make lots of cookies?" she asked, as Sonny started washing out the mixing bowls in the sink. 

Sonny chuckled, "Honey, we can make as many as we want!" he said, grabbing the sponge off the rack. "We're gonna need lots of cookies and sweets for the weekend!" 

It was during the mixing of the batter, that Isabella walked into the kitchen, having hung up with her mother. 

"What are we doing in here?" she asked, coming around the counter to see. "Cookies?" 

"Chocolate chippy one!" Carina squealed, as the mixer churned the dough together. "All for tomorrow!" 

Isabella nodded, "Maman's bringing stuff tomorrow," she said, looking at Sonny. "Went to the bakery today and got a bunch of stuff. Cookies, pastries, two pies..." 

Sonny whistled, "Did she get a mix of Italian and French?" he asked, as Isabella nodded. "Yes! Ma's bringin' cannoli's!" 

"Yay!!" Carina squealed, bouncing on the chair she stood on. "I can't wait to eat all the foods!" 

"Well, you can't eat all the food," Isabella said, which made the little girl scowl. "You'll get a tummy ache!" 

Carina looked up at Sonny, who winked, "We'll try our best to eat all the food," he bargained, which made Carina giggle. "But if we can't do it all tomorrow, we've got all weekend!" 

Pleased with the thought of endless eating, Carina leaned in closer to Sonny's side, standing on her toes to watch the mixer. 

"I'll go check on Evelina and Siena," Isabella announced, as she looked at her watch. "They're being way too quiet, which is unlike them." 

"Maybe they fell asleep," Sonny shrugged, as he turned the mixer off. "C'mon,  _topolina._ Let's get these cookies on the tray.." 

..............

The next morning, Carina was up at a seven-thirty, following Sonny downstairs. 

"I wanna see the turkey," she said, as Sonny rinsed the bird off in the sink. "Please? I wanna see him!" 

Helping her up onto the counter, Carina watched as Sonny rinsed the turkey clean, before settling it into the pan. "Good?" he asked, as she inspected the main dish of the night. 

Carina nodded, "He's pink, Daddy," she observed, as he placed the turkey into the oven. 

"Well, you were kinda pink when you were born," he shrugged, moving back to the sink to wash his hands. "Pink and wiggly. Almost like a baby piglet." 

"Daddy!" Carina giggled, as he chuckled. 

Drying his hands with a paper towel, Sonny leaned against the counter and sighed. "What do you say if we made some pancakes?" he asked, with a playful frown on his face.

Mimicking the look back to him, Carina tapped her chin with a finger. "Chocolate chips?" she asked ."And whipped creams?" 

"As if I'd make 'em any other way," Sonny gasped, as she giggled. "C'mon. You can help me mix the batter this time and maybe we'll crack some eggs for scrambled ones.." 

By the time they set breakfast onto the table, Isabella was up and brought Evelina and Siena downstairs after diaper changes. They ate and plotted out their morning, before setting the younger girls in the living room to watch a movie. Carina had been hellbent on helping out, standing on a chair that had been pushed up against one of the counters. 

"After this, we'll take a break and Mommy will take you upstairs for a bath," Sonny said, wiping the counter down. "Everythin's in the oven and won't be done for a while.." 

Carina pouted, "Hey,' Sonny started, tugging at her wild hair lightly. "You did a great job this mornin', Carina. I couldn't have done all this without ya." 

"Can I help after my bath?" Carina asked, pouting. 

"Well, I can't get all the food on the table by myself," Sonny said, tweaking her nose. "You can help, Carina. I just need ya to go and take your bath, that way Mommy can get you and your sisters ready. Grandma and Grandma are gonna be here soon and you don't want to smell like onions and celery bits, do ya?" 

She shook her head quickly, "No! I smell like stuffings!" she cried, as Isabella stopped in the kitchen with Evelina and Siena. 

He snorted, "Someone will eat ya!" he cried, moving in to tickle her; making her shriek and giggle. "Go on," he finally said, once he was through tickling her. "Bath. Daddy has to shower anyways, since he smells like the turkey." 

"Kay!" she nodded, rushing to Isabella. 

"I'll shower after you're done," Isabella said, as Carina started up the staircase. 

"I won't take too long," Sonny promised, as he set the bowls and spoons into the sink. "I'm goin' up there now!" 

Already upstairs, Isabella shouted back down to him, before yelling at Evelina and Siena "If you two don't stop, you won't get any cookies!' she warned, as the girls shrieked. "Carina and Daddy worked very hard last night to make them all!" 

.............

"I'll tell ya, this was a great meal," Antonio said, as he sat back in his chair. "From the appetizers to the sweets.." 

Sonny chuckled, as Carina gobbled down another mini cannoli. "We had a lil extra help this year," he said, nodding to the six year old on his lap. "Make those chocolate chip cookies herself. And everythin' else.." 

"Under his watchful supervision, of course," Isabella piped up, as Siena snoozed on her lap. " Luckily, I didn't have much to do this year, since Sonny wanted to take on the entire thing.." 

Grabbing a napkin, Sonny turned Carina on his lap to wipe her face, before kissing her on the nose. "You're too much," he snorted, as she giggled. "How many of these are ya gonna eat?" 

"All of dem," she said, her mouth full of cannoli filling and shell. "Dey so good, Daddy." 

"Yeah, I know!" he nodded. "But, I think you should take it easy,  _topolina._ You're gonna make yaself sick.." 

Laying her head back against his chest, Carina chewed the mouthful of cannoli. Wrapping his arms around her little frame, Sonny sat back in his chair with a sigh. 

"Any plans for the weekend?" Isabella asked, as Noelle sipped her tea. "I know you plan on hitting the mall.." 

"Well, I like to get a head start on my holiday shopping," Noelle shrugged. "How else am I going to get all my little ones their gifts, if I wait until the last minute." 

Antonio and Dominick exchanged looks, before sipping their coffee's quietly. "It's call the internet," Sonny pointed out. "Iz and I do most of our shoppin' off Amazon, especially for the big stuff. Like the toys, books and movies. The clothes we just go to the mall out here, or I try to go on my lunch break out in Manhattan.." 

His wife nodded, "Besides, the girls haven't given us their lists to mail to Santa yet," she shrugged. "I mean, Carina's told me what she wants. But the other two?" 

"Well, Siena's not gonna really know what to ask for," Angela pointed out. "She just turned two last week." 

"I want books," Carina piped up, her sock clad feet bobbing up and down. "So that Daddy can read me more stories at bedtime." 

Sonny chuckled, "Thank god I have a kid who loves books," he said, as Carina cuddled closer to him. "I'm very thankful for that." 

His daughter beamed up at him, "Can we finish Harry Potter tonight?" she asked, as he smoothed her hair away from her face. "We gots two chapters left!" 

"We will finish it tonight," Sonny promised. "Because, we've got to watch the movie and then start book three!" 

Evelina belched, as she put down her glass of water; her little face smeared with chocolate and sprinkles. "More," she e mumbled, through a mouthful of cheesecake. "Pwease." 

The adults laughed, "Lina, I think you should wait a lil bit," Dominick said, as Evelina whined. "You had a lot of food tonight.." 

"And Mommy doesn't want to be up, all night, cleaning up vomit and poop," Isabella said, as she shifted Siena on her lap. "Take a little break, sweetheart. We have plenty of food for later or tomorrow." 

Looking down at his watch, Sonny let out a deep sigh. "We should probably start cleanin' up," he said. "Maybe put on another pot of coffee.." 

Carina looked up at him, "Can I help clean the table?" she asked, as he looked down at her. "And make the coffees?" 

"C'mon," he chuckled, standing up with her. "You can carry the paper plates and napkins, while I get the forks and knives.." 

Taking the plates, Sonny stacked them up before handing them down to Carina. "Walk slowly," he said, following behind with a handful of forks. "We'll put a new bag in the trashcan and find some containers for the cookies." 

"Ah, if only Joey were like that," Noelle sighed, shaking her head. "It's bad enough he rather watch football, than have dessert with his family." 

"That's because he thinks he's still in college," Antonio said. "When he has a family of his own one day, he'll understand why it's important to sit at the table.." 

Noelle scoffed, "I'll be dead by the time that happens," she said, rolling her eyes.

Isabella sighed, as Evelina whined for more cookies. "I wish you would stop saying that," she mumbled, as she tossed another cookie onto Evelina's plate. "And, at least he showed up today." 

..............

With the girls changed into their pajamas, they were brought back downstairs to say goodbye to their Grandparents. 

"Bye Grandma! Bye Grandpa!" Carina squealed, as she gave Noelle and Antonio hugs and kisses. 

Dominick and Angela had Evelina and Siena, giving them hugs and kisses. "Maybe this weekend, we'll come out and spend the day with you guys," Angela said, as Siena hugged her. "Take the girls to the park if it's not too cold.." 

"Yeah, yeah," Sonny nodded. "We'll be here all weekend. I have to work for a little bit tomorrow, but the rest of the weekend I'm off.." 

"Be a good girl for your Mama and Papa," Noelle said, as she fixed Carina's nightgown. "Though, I don't think Grandma has to tell you that, since you're always a good girl." 

Sonny chuckled as Carina beamed happily at the praise, "She's always been a good girl, Frenchie," he said, as Carina moved about by the front door. "Save for the few temper tantrums here and there." 

Handing over Evelina and Siena, Dominick and Angela had their moment with Carina, before everyone packed up and headed out for the commute home. 

"I'll call you tomorrow," Noelle said, as she kissed Isabella on both cheeks. "I know you'll be bust tomorrow, putting up your Christmas decorations.." 

"Oh man, that means I have to bring stuff down tonight," Sonny whined. "Iz, can we do that next weekend?" 

Isabella glared at him, "I know, how crazy of me to even ask," Sonny continued, wrapping his arm around her waist. 

Noelle shook her head, "One day, she will turn on you," she warned, pointing at her son-in-law. "One day.." 

"Nah," Sonny chuckled. "Seven years of marriage and I make it my mission to drive her crazy. She loves it." 

"Daddddyyyy! I go poopie!" Evelina called out. 

Sonny grumbled, as he quickly gave his parents and in-laws, hugs and kisses goodbye. "I'm comin', Lina!" he called out, as he started for the living room. "Ma! I'll call ya tomorrow about the weekend!" 

Stepping outside with her parents and in-laws, Isabella watched as they got into their cars, waving goodbye as they pulled away. Heading back inside, Isabella turned on the outdoor light, before closing and locking the door behind her. 

"Alright, my lil piggies, let's get ready for bed!" Isabella called out, as Siena and Carina played in the living room. "We've got a busy day tomorrow!" 

..............

"Daddy, do you have to go to work tomorrow?" Carina asked, as Sonny got her tucked into bed. "Can't Zia 'Livia let you stay home?" 

Sonny sighed, as he set the pink comforter down. "I have to go in for a little while," he said, as Carina pouted. "Zio Rafael has a big case that he has to take to court on Monday. So, Daddy has to go and finish his homework before than." 

The girl sighed, "Can we put the tree up when you come home?" she asked. 

"I don't see why not," Sonny shrugged. "Besides, Mommy always makes me take it down from the attic. Remember last year, when Mommy got stuck in the attic?" 

"And she cried about the bugs and ghosts," Carina giggled. "Can we have hot coco and sing Christmas songs too?" 

He smiled, "Whatever you wanna do, Carina," he promised. "This place will look amazin' once we're done." 

Seeing that she was pleased with his answer, Sonny picked up the worn copy of  _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._ "Ready to see how Harry's gonna save Ginny?" he asked, as she giggled. 

"Yes!" she nodded, reaching for her stuffed unicorn. "And do the silly voices, Daddy!" 

"Yes, Ma'am," Sonny nodded, as he settled down next to her. "Ready?" 

She nodded, moving to lean against his side, as his arm came down to wrap around her shoulders. By the time he finished the book, Carina was about ready for bed. Tucking the blankets up to her chin, Sonny dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight,  _topolina,"_ he whispered, as she cuddled with her stuffed animals. "I love you." 

"Love you too, Daddy," she yawned, before burying her nose into the plush toy. 

Checking quickly on Evelina, Sonny turned off the lights and made his way out of the room. Checking quickly on Siena, Sonny made his way downstairs to find the kitchen clean and the lights off. 

"Iz?" he whispered, making his way into the living room. "Babe?" 

Finding the rooms empty downstairs, Sonny made his way back up to the second floor, and down the hall to the master bedroom. Lounging back in bed, with a book on her lap, Isabella looked up and smiled as Sonny made his way into the room. 

"Are they sleeping?' she asked, as he closed the door halfway behind him. 

"Yeah," he nodded, making his way over to the bed. "All three of 'em." 

She smiled as he changed into his pajamas, "All that food," she shook her head, as he climbed into bed next to her. "They put themselves into literal food comas." 

He snorted, "At least it had that effect," he reminded her, settling down against the pillows. "Could've been worse." 

Setting her book down on the nightstand, Isabella reached up to turn the lamp off, before settling down next to him. "I set your alarm for a quarter to seven," she said, leaning in for a quick kiss. "The coffee machine too, that way it's ready for you when you head downstairs." 

Sonny groaned, "You're so good to me," he mumbled, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I wish I could stay home all day with ya and the girls." 

"It's only for a few hours," she reminded him. "We'll probably clean most of the house anyways while you're at work, before putting anything up. Carina likes having you home, when we decorate for Christmas. According to her, you're more entertaining than me.." 

"Ah, I like to think we're both entertainin'," Sonny yawned. "It's just because I'm always workin', Iz. And when I'm home for a whole day or two, they hate it when I have to leave." 

Isabella nodded, "I hate it too," she said quietly, as Sonny pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But, we get you all weekend long. And, we got you tonight. I know that's not possible for many out there, who do the work that you do.." 

Shifting under the blankets, Sonny pulled them up further, before shifting onto his side, wrapping his arm around her waist again. "One day, after I retire, I'll be home all the time," he said. "I'll be home so much, that you guys will look back and wish I was still workin'." 

"By that point, our kids will be in college or living on their own," Isabella scoffed. "So, it'll end up being me that's stuck with you all day, everyday.." 

"Like that's so bad," Sonny snickered. "You whine everyday, when I have to leave for work. Especially in the summer, because that means you're stuck home with three kids all day long." 

Isabella nudged him with her feet, scowling as he laughed at her. "Have fun decorating the entire house tomorrow," she huffed, moving to roll over. "All those lights and bins of decorations to take down.." 

Sonny snorted, "It's not like I'll be doin' it all alone," he pointed out. "I got my lil helper onboard. And be careful with your empty threats, Iz. I'll leave all your girly ornaments and shit up in the attic, so that Carina and I can deck the house out in a multicolored, winter wonderland." 

 


	71. christmas decorating

"No! No! Daddy, you gots to put the fairy lights on the firehouse!" Carina cried, as she watched Sonny. "The fairy lights?" 

Sonny, who had spent two and a half hours untangling lights, looked down at the five year old with a frown. "What?" he asked, as he held the strand of white lights in his hands; the untangled strand hanging over his shoulder and down his back, as he hooked it along the fireplace mantel. "These are fairy lights." 

Carina shook her head, "Nuh uh," she whined, as Sonny sighed in slight annoyance. "The pink ones, Daddy." 

"I'm not puttin' pink lights on the fireplace, Carina," Sonny shook his head, as he resumed the stranding of lights. "Carina, stomp that foot one more time.." 

"But  _Daddddyyyy!"_ she whined, throwing her arms up in the air, only to bring them down quickly to her sides. "You saids we could use them!" 

Christmastime was a big deal in the Carisi household, even more so now than before, now that Sonny and Isabella had children. The day after Thanksgiving, a day of what should be for rest, was a day of holiday transitions. Down came the fall decor, which Isabella had up on the first of September, and up went Christmas. The artificial tree came down from the attic and went up in the corner of the living room, before Sonny checked all the lights. Usually, a trip to the store came next, which Sonny ended up doing alone most of the time. If Isabella went, they ended up buying more than they originally needed and planned for. The rest of their Friday, along with the weekend, consisted of decorating both the inside  _and_ outside of their home. By Monday, everything was set and ready for Christmas, much to Isabella's delight. It was even more fun now, with three children, when it came to decorating. 

Now that Carina was a little older, and more capable of whining just like her Mother, Sonny gave in to having her help this year. It was much easier to give in, instead of having to stop every few minutes to usher the girl into another room, just to get some work done. And, to no surprise at all, she had an eye for design; as well as throwing things into the cart when Sonny wasn't looking- another trait she without a doubt, inherited from her Mother. Opting for Isabella's woodland decorations, Carina picked out what lights to put on the tree, along with a few new ornaments as well. 

 _"It'll be cute, Daddy,"_ Carina insisted, when Sonny asked her why they need more ornaments. " _I know how to decorate. I'm five years old, Daddy."_

Once the strand of lights had been hung, Sonny turned to face his daughter. "Carina, I got them to put on the window in your bedroom," he said, as he moved to he coffee table. "The tree is going to be red, green and filled with all these... forest animals that you and Mommy picked out. Pink would not match in here with all that." 

She sighed, dramatically at that, before nodding. "Okay," she mumbled, as she made her way over to the coffee table. "What are we doing now?" 

"Well," Sonny looked down at the mess of lights, ornaments and Christmas decor; a collection that spanned over nearly eight years, when Sonny and Isabella spent their first Christmas together back when they had started dating. "We could hang some lights in the windows down here. Or... we could put all these Christmas statue things on the entertainment center, then go and see if Mommy and Lina are done makin' cookies." 

"Let's decorate the TV house!" Carina nodded, as she picked up the plastic Elsa and Anna statue. "Put this one on the house, Daddy! Nonna got it for me on my birthday and I want Santa to see how pretty it is!" 

Taking the statue with a chuckle, Sonny made his way over to the entertainment center. "Yes, little miss," he nodded, as he started moving things around to make room for the decorations. "Grab that garland thing that you and Mommy picked out. I gotta figure out how I'm gonna hang it on here.." 

.................

"Wow, it's looking good in here!" Isabella said, as she walked into the living room two hours later. 

Carina giggled, as Sonny handed her a ornament to hang on the tree. "We have more stuffs to do, Mommy," she said, hanging the green bauble on a tree branch. "Daddy's gonna hang my fairy lights in my room!" 

Sonny snorted, "Pink lights for their windows," he said, as Isabella carried Siena on her hip. "And, I think we have purple lights for Si Si's windows, if she wants 'em." 

"What do you say, Si?" Isabella asked, looking down at the one year old. "Do you want Daddy to hang lights in your bedroom windows?" 

Siena squealed, "Dada! 'ights!" she squealed. 

"I guess you're hanging lights in her room too," Isabella giggled. "I got some candy canes today. I don't know if you wanna hang them up on the tree this year, or just leave them in the cabinet until Christmas..." 

"Ah, leave 'em for Christmas," Sonny said, as he fixed a few branches on the tree. "Half the time, I end up throwin' them out, because they fall off and get stomped on." 

Isabella nodded, as Lina rushed into the living room and over to the tree. "Lina, don't touch the tree!" she warned, as the three year old's hands reached out towards it. "Unless Daddy says yo can help, you cannot touch the tree!" 

Bending down, Sonny picked the girl up. "You wanna help?" he asked, as Lina wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Yes!" she nodded, as he held a bear ornament in his hand. "Bear! Daddy, I want the bear!" she cried, reaching out for it. "Pwease!!" 

"Alright," Sonny said, as he brought her closer o the tree. "Two hands, Lina. Make sure you get 'em up on the branch, so that he doesn't fall down." 

Doing what she was told, Lina pushed the twine up onto the branch, before letting go of the bear. Pulling her hands back, Lina turned and smiled at Sonny, who smiled back at her. "Good job, sweetheart!" he praised, kissing her cheek. "He looks so good up there!!" 

They put the remaining ornaments up, before moving to put out the rest of the decorations. The stockings on the staircase bannister, the wreath on the front door and the lights in all the windows in the living room. 

"I got stickers for the windows," Isabella said, taking sheets of plastic stickers. "I figured you and Lina could put these on the back door. And whatever's left over, can go on the windows in your room." 

"Ooooh!!!" Carina squealed, taking the sheet of sparkly snowflakes and penguins. "Can I puts them up now?" 

Her Mother nodded, "Go on," she said, as Siena whined. "Lina, go with Carina and decorate the door in the dining room." 

Screeching, Lina and Carina rushed off, leaving Sonny to clean up the boxes and bags that littered nearly every surface of the living room. "I'm beat," Sonny sighed, as he dropped everything into one of the plastic storage bins. "I feel like there was more to put up this year." 

"That's probably because there was," Isabella pointed out, as Sonny plopped down on the sofa. "You took Carina to the store this year, for the first time, which automatically makes any bill go up." 

Taking Siena from her, Sonny sat the infant on his stomach, which made her giggle. "At least this is all done," he sighed deeply, as he held onto Siena's hands. "I'll do the outside tomorrow and hopefully it'll all be done, before the first snowstorm hits.." 

"It'll get done," Isabella nodded. "You don't have to go crazy outside, Sonny. Put some lights on the railings and that's it! We don't have a big front lawn, where you can put up anything to begin with, and I wouldn't bother with that anyway." 

"Mommy's the boss, Si," Sonny shrugged, as the little girl babbled. "After this, Mommy's gonna force me to go with her to the mall.." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "I was going to suggest doing most of the shopping online," she started, as she turned to head back into the dining room. "But, just for that, you can go to the mall with me next weekend, while the girls go to Maman's. 

Sonny groaned, as the baby screeched, making Isabella snort as she went to check on the girls. "Maybe Daddy will fall off the ladder tomorrow," she heard Sonny say, as Siena babbled and screeched with each word. 

..................

Long after dinner and stranding up pink and purple lights, the girls had been bathed and tucked into bed; a fairytale story for Carina and Evelina, and a picture book for Siena, put all three of the girls into dreamland. Cleaning up downstairs, Sonny finally joined his wife in bed, a little after eleven. 

"We should put a tree in the corner over there," Sonny said, waving his hand to the empty corner of their bedroom. 

Isabella looked up from her book, "We're not putting a tree in our bedroom, Sonny," she said, before turning back to the spot in her book. 

"But... why not?" he pouted. 

"One tree is enough," she replied, turning the page. "And, I don't want to hear the goddamn thing rustling, as the cats climb around in it. At least with the one downstairs, I don't have to hear it. I just have to wake up and find ornaments all over the floor and that's enough for me." 

He pouted, watching as she read her book, falling silent for a while. "What about lights in the windows?" he finally asked, as she put her bookmark in place. 

"Sonny..." she sighed, setting the book onto the nightstand. 

He moved to wrap his arm around her waist, "Think about it," he said, as she looked at him. "White lights in the windows, maybe on the headboard," he started. "That nice warm glow they give off, once you have all the other lights off." 

Isabella sighed, "If I say yes, will you leave me alone about it?" she asked. "And forget about putting a tree up?" 

"Yes, I will give up my dream of having a Christmas tree in my bedroom," Sonny nodded, as she sighed in defeat. "Think about how hot it'll be, babe." 

She pulled the blankets up to her chest, "Hot?" she asked, laying down. "Why, are we setting the bedroom on fire with the lights?" 

Sonny snorted, "Nah," he shook his head, as she turned onto her side to face him. "You, baskin' in the glow of fairy lights, as I have my way with ya." 

"Oh,  _god,"_ Isabella groaned, rolling her eyes, as he laughed. "I swear, Sonny. You're worse than a teenaged boy, going through the early stages of puberty..." 

"No, I'm not," Sonny insisted, as he wrapped his arm back around her waist; his hand settling underneath her shirt, just above the waistband of her pants. "You love it." 

Isabella hummed, "If you say so," she said, before breaking out into a yawn. "Better go to sleep, Sonny. You've got work to do tomorrow and I don't want to hear Carina crying, when you're not up and ready at the crack of dawn." 

 

 


	72. early wake up calls

Evelina was prone to waking up in the middle of the night, stumbling her way into her parents bed; half awake at that, on many occasions. Sonny and Isabella were used to having a child here and there, cuddled up in bed with them, ever since Carina was a baby. 

 _"I guess someone had a nightmare,"_ Sonny would mumble, when he'd wake up to ice cold feet or the weight of a little girl on his back or chest. A leaky diaper or a smelly one at that, would also wake them, if one of the Carisi girls made their way into bed with them. 

So, it was no surprise when Evelina woke from a deep sleep, as the night turned into morning. Kicking off her blankets, the four year old made her way out of her bedroom and down the hall to her parents. It was still early and both Mommy and Daddy were sound asleep, after staying up to wrap presents and clean. Christmas was less than a week away, and Sonny was hellbent on getting everything wrapped and away before the big day. After pulling twelve hour shifts, sometimes more, he came home and stayed up even later doing just that. 

Given that it was a Saturday, Sonny had originally planned to catch up on some sleep, while Isabella took the kids out to do some last minute shopping with Noelle. So, without the alarm clock being set for a quarter to six, Sonny stayed up until three and crashed next to his wife by three-thirty. However, little kids always had a way of putting a wrench in their parents plans. 

"DADDY! DADDY!" 

Sonny woke up with a startled snort, shooting upright in bed. Next to him, Isabella woke up startled and groggy. 

"Wha?" she mumbled, as Sonny quickly shot out of bed and into the bathroom. "Lina Marie! What are you doin'?!" he exclaimed, as the little girl cried. 

"I fall in!" she screeched, holding her arms out to him. "Help! Daddy!" 

Quickly, Sonny pulled her out of the toilet bowl and placed her down on the floor. "Oh my god," he shook his head, as he pulled off the wet nightgown. "What are you doin' in here?" 

Evelina continued to cry hysterically, as he moved to wipe her down with the stash of baby wipes they kept in the master bathroom. "I-I wan-t t-t-o sleep w-with you and m-m-mommy!" she hiccuped, as he put on a new pull up. 

"It's alright, it's alright," Sonny said, hugging her. "Did you go pee-pee?" 

She shook her head, "Alright, let's go pee-pee and you can sleep with Mommy and me," Sonny said, as he fixed the toilet seat. "Up ya go." 

As Evelina peed, Sonny chucked the wet garment into the laundry basket and moved to wipe the floor down. Once she finished, Sonny helped her with washing her hands, before picking her up and carrying her out to the bedroom. 

"What happened?" Isabella asked, as Evelina crawled to lay in the middle of the bed. "Lina.. where's your clothes?" 

"They got wet," Sonny sighed, as he laid back down, pulling the blankets up to cover both himself and Evelina.

"How?" 

Sonny rolled onto his side, wrapping his arm around Evelina's little frame. "She fell into the toilet bowl," he mumbled, as Isabella reached out to wipe Evelina's wet face with her hand. 

Isabella sighed, "You fell in the potty?" she asked the girl, who nodded. 

"I falled in," she hiccuped, rubbing her eye with a closed fist. "I falled in, Mommy. My butt got cold." 

"Oh no," Isabella shook her head, trying her best not to snort. "I guess Daddy left the seat up again?" 

Sonny rolled his eyes and Evelina nodded, "The potty monster almost tooked me away," she said mournfully, as Sonny hugged her to his chest. "I go bye, but Daddy helped me." 

Her Mother nodded, "It's alright," she said, pushing her hair away form her face. "I fall in the toilet too. Especially when Daddy leaves the seat up and forgets to put it back down." 

"We don't have any potty monsters in this house," Sonny mumbled, as Evelina hiccuped. "Daddy made sure they were all gone when we moved it. Zio Fin too." 

"They all gone?" Evelina asked, as she rolled over to look up at him. 

He nodded, "I kicked 'em all out," he said. "They didn't wanna pay rent, so I said "Well, ya gotta leave then!" and they all went to the sewers." 

Isabella giggled, as Evelina nodded slowly. "They don't want to eat my butt?" she asked, which made Isabella snort. 

"Nah, Lina," Sonny shook his head, trying his best not to laugh. "Besides, you and your sisters leave some foul smellin' stuff in those potty's. Too much for the monsters to even deal with.." 

"Kay," the three year old yawned, curling up against his side. 

Sonny pressed a kiss to her head, "Go back to sleep," he said softly, as his hand moved up and down her back. "You got a busy day with Mommy and Grandma.." 

As quickly as she was consoled from her fears, Evelina was snoring away between her parents, who were shaking with silent laughter. "I don't know where they get this stuff from, Iz," Sonny sighed, as he finally relaxed. 

"Kids this age are just weird," Isabella sighed, shifting under the blankets. "And being that they're your kids, there was no doubt that they'd inherit any weirdness from you." 

"Yeah, yeah, like you haven't had your fair share of weird shit," Sonny snorted. "I'll make sure the seats down next time." 

Isabella nodded, "That would be nice," she remarked. "I'll tell ya, it's not fun getting an ice cold splash of toilet water, first thing in the morning. Especially for us girls.." 

.........................

"Ellie.. did you... did you poop?" 

Sonny made a face at the foul smell, as the infant cooed and wiggled on the bed next to him. "I swear ta god," he muttered, lifting her legs up gently. The green smears of poop could be seen through the light pink onesie, as well as on her inner thighs and on the bed. 

"Aw, come on!" he groaned, as Ellie babbled to herself. "Really, El? Green shit on the bed?" 

Getting up, Sonny carefully picked the baby up and held her out in front of him, before heading out of the room. From downstairs, Sonny could hear Isabella and the girls making breakfast, as they prepared for a day of yard work. 

"Alright, let's get ya in the bath," Sonny sighed, as dropped a towel onto the floor. "I can't believe ya shit on the bed, Ellie." 

Turning the water on for the tub, Sonny let it fill up as he carefully removed the soiled onesie and diaper. Grabbing the little bath seat, Sonny checked the temperature of the water, before carefully easing Ellie in. As soon as she hit the water, Ellie began to squeal and kick about, giving Sonny a gummy smile; the two white caps visible. 

"I love ya, but ya stink," Sonny chuckled, as he grabbed a washcloth. "And this was not a nice way to wake Daddy up. On a Saturday no less." 

It was only a quarter to nine, but after coming off a double, Sonny wanted to at least make it to a quarter  _after_ nine to start his day. What he didn't expect, was for Isabella to put Ellie into bed with him and for Ellie to shit herself and the bed. 

As he scrubbed Ellie clean, tickling her tummy and her feet, Isabella peered into the bathroom as she came upstairs. "What happened?" she asked, as Ellie squealed. 

"She crapped herself real good," Sonny snorted, as he rinsed the baby off. "I have to change the sheets on the bed, so don't let the girls go runnin' in there." 

She winced, "Oh dear," she pouted, shaking her head. "Maybe that bottle before bed is too much, Sonny. Instead of eight ounces, we should probably give her five." 

He nodded, as he pulled the drain stopper out. "Or.. we could feed her a bit earlier and wait until she poops, before puttin' her down," he suggested. "We've changed her crib sheets almost every day, Iz." 

"I'll see how she does with breakfast, lunch and dinner, before I make her nighttime bottle," Isabella said, as he pulled Ellie out of the tub. "We made eggs, bacon and cut up some fruit. It's ready when you guys are, so hurry. Lina's determined to scarf down that entire plate of bacon, before you even make it downstairs." 

"Lina's gonna turn into a pig at this rate," he mused, wrapping Ellie up in a towel. "Right, Ellie? All that bacon is gonna turn your sister into a pig!" 

Ellie shrieked, as her little hands grabbed at his face. "Let's throw your poopie diaper away and get ready for the day," he sighed, squatting down to pick up the diaper with one hand. "Hopefully, ya won't shit through your clothes again today.." 

 


	73. cuddly

"Iz, you're on my arm." 

Isabella grunted, her eyes closed and body relaxed. "You said I could lay on your arm," she mumbled, as he tried to pry the numb limb, from underneath her head. "No take backs." 

Sonny fought the urge to roll his eyes, as she snuggled closer to him. "Yeah, but..." he started, using his free arm to lift her head up. "I need my arm, Iz. How can I do my job, with one arm? Hell, how am I gonna be able to hold the baby, if I have one arm?" 

"You're so dramatic, Sonny." 

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, as she yawned. "It's rubbin' off on me, sweetheart." 

It had been a long week of work for the both of them, mixed with doctors appointments and the slow process of setting the apartment up for a baby. With two months left, until their June due-date, things had been hectic around the apartment. While Sonny wanted to get the spare bedroom up and running, with everything unpacked and put together before their daughter would arrive, Isabella was slowing down. 

" _I'm too tired to open the box, Sonny!"_ she whined one night, as Sonny set the newly assembled changing table together. " _My fingers are sleepy."_

Between fatigue and eating nearly everything and anything, Isabella was crossing into the "everything is uncomfortable" stage of her pregnancy. Sleeping in bed became a production, as she tossed and turned all night long, before Sonny woke up to "cuddle" her; spooning together under the blankets, while a maternity pillow rested under her growing belly. Working overtime, Sonny was lucky to get at least a day off, as his weekends were consumed with weird shifts or paperwork. But on this particular Saturday in April, Sonny had the entire day off, much to his wife's happiness.

While both of them always initiated cuddling, Isabella became extra clingy as her pregnancy progressed; she always wanted Sonny to hold her and put his hands on her- from massages to when they had sex- Isabella constantly needed to be touched. at firs, Sonny thought it was a way for her to cope, with all the body changes that she was going through. A constant reminder for herself, to show that she was still desirable, even if she looked like a stuffed turkey. And, while she loved how vocal Sonny had been about her changing body and how "gorgeous" and "sexy" she looked, the physical motions helped her. 

A whole day to do absolutely nothing, but cuddle up together on the couch and enjoy each other's company. Those were their favorite days, especially since their time as a child-free couple, was coming to an end. 

"Do you plan on doin' anythin' togday?" Sonny asked, as she rested next to him. 

"No," she pouted, pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Staying here all day." 

Sonny sighed, "Baby, I need to get some things done around here," he said, as she draped one leg over his. "We can't sleep on the couch all day." 

Isabella whined, "I could if I really wanted to," she reasoned, as his hand moved up and down her side to her hip. 

"I still have to cook for ya," Sonny pointed out, which made Isabella open her eyes. "You need to eat, right? And I gotta feed ya." 

"You just don't want to cuddle with me," Isabella pouted, tucking her hands underneath her right cheek. "You find me disgusting now." 

Sonny sighed, trying his best not to roll his eyes at the comment. "If I found ya disgustin', do you think I would've fucked ya silly in the shower last night?" 

The comment, alone with the memory, made Isabella blush, as she tucked her face into her arms. Sonny snorted, "I don't find you disgustin', Iz," he said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "And, as much as I want to spend Saturday mornin', sleepin' on the couch..." 

"You have things to do..." she finished for him. 

"I can put somethin' in the crock pot and let it cook for a few hours," Sonny shrugged. "And, I could start some laundry and we can move into the bedroom and lay down for a while." 

"Our bed isn't comfortable anymore," she whined. 

Sonny huffed, "Well, I ain't buyin' a new bed, when you've got two months left in your pregnancy," he said. "We got that baby belly pillow and Frenchie bought us a bunch of pillows last weekend that you can lay on." 

She made a face, "So I can look like a flotation device?" she scoffed. 

"Isabella Marie, I swear to God," Sonny chuckled in defeat, shaking his head. "I'm offerin' you sound advice here, and you're drivin' me crazy now." 

"Sooonnnnnnnyyyy," Isabella whined. 

He silenced her with a kiss, his fingers threading into her hair, as he shifted along the back of the couch, so that he was straddling her. Letting out a muffled moan, Isabella wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as possible. 

"Get in bed," Sonny whispered against her lips, when they pulled apart. "I promise ya, I'll make it worth while." 

"Can you at least help me up?" Isabella pouted, her lips slightly swollen and red from their kiss. "Your child weighs a ton." 

Sonny carefully pushed himself up off the couch, before moving to help Isabella. One arm around her shoulders, Sonny pulled her legs off the couch and had Isabella in a sitting position. 

"Good?" he asked, his hand on her belly. "You were out of breath earlier when I got ya up out of bed." 

"I'm okay," Isabella nodded, her lying relaxed on his shoulder. "I'll be much better, once this is all over though. My poor body is shot, all because of this beast of a baby." 

Sonny chuckled, "Our daughter is not a  _beast,"_ he said, as he helped her to her feet. "She's gonna be a perfect lil' meatball, once she's ready to come out of there." 

Isabella gave him a tired smile, "Which, I can't wait for," she murmured, as he kissed her again. "Don' take too long? It's drafty in the bedroom, and the rain isn't helping much." 

"I'll be there soon," Sonny promised. "Go set up ya pillows, Iz. I put those extra blankets in the hall closet, so get a few and I'll wrap ya up in 'em." 

"Promise?" 

"I promise," he reassured her. "Do you want me to bring anythin' in for ya? A snack? Some juice?" 

She yawned, "Cookies," she said, mid-yawn, as she rubbed her eyes. "And orange juice." 

Sonny chuckled and nodded, "I'll bring it in," he said, as she waddled down the hall to their bedroom. "And I'll put up the heat!" 

"C'mon Harry," Isabella said, as the cat made his way out of the spare bedroom. "Come lay down with Mommy." 

Fixing up the couch, Sonny quickly put something into the crock pot for dinner; the temperature low enough so that, while the food cooked, the apartment wouldn't burn down in the process. It was only a quarter to nine, which was still early for a day off, let alone a Saturday. But between Isabella's tossing and turning and the cats jumping around on the bed, Sonny was up at six-fifteen to deal with a cranky wife and a two hyperactive furballs. 

Washing his hands and tossing out the garbage, Sonny went to start a load of laundry, before chucking the wet clothes into the dryer. "C'mon, Leia girl," Sonny said, as both machines started up. "Let's go lay down with Harry and Mommy." 

Taking the cat out of the cabinet, which hung above the washer and dryer unit, Sonny carried her down the hall and into the bedroom. Isabella had managed to turn her side of the bed, into a pillow fortress; between the pillows at the head of the bed, along with the pink maternity pillow, there was a pillow laid out for every part of her. 

'Can you help me up?" Isabella asked, as she set the extra blankets on the bed. "I need a boost." 

"Iz, how many do you need?" Sonny asked, as Leia meowed. "I can put a pillow under your knees and your feet. You don't need to cover the  _entire_ side of the bed with 'em." 

Moving around the bed, Sonny moved everything over, before placing the U-shaped pregnancy pillow down on the bed. "In ya go," Sonny nodded, as he helped Isabella into bed. "Lay on your side, that way your belly is restin' on this part," he said, patting the side of the pillow. 

Isabella moved a best as she could, while Sonny helped her. "Can't even move on my own," she mumbled, as he grabbed pillow to place under her feet. "I feel and look like a cow." 

"No you don't," Sonny scoffed, adjusting the pillows under her head. "You look adorable, Iz. All curled up on your pillows and tucked in bed." 

"At least someone finds me adorable," she continued to pout, as Sonny shook the blanket out and over her. "Maman yelled at me the other day for eating a whole block of cheese in a day." 

Sonny snorted, as he turned the bedside lamp out, before climbing over her to lay on his side of the bed. "That's because you get gassy and complain about your belly hurtin'," he reminded her, pulling the blankets up to his hip. "Dairy has not been your friend, durin' the last trimester." 

He wrapped his arm around her waist, letting his hand rest against her belly; the swift kicks and rolls of their little girl, pressing up against his hand. "It'll be all worth it in the end, when we bring her home," Sonny justified. "All the aches and pains, lack of sleep and everythin' else." 

"We won't be able to cuddle like this," Isabella said. "Spend our entire weekends, doing nothing but being lazy." 

"Ah, we could always put the baby in bed between us," Sonny shrugged. "I mean.. we could always put her in the bassinet by the bed, so we can all nap together in here." 

She hummed, "We'l figure it out, Iz," he promised, kissing the back of her neck. "We got time. Don't worry about everythin' now, okay? Just close ya eyes and take a nap." 

Not one to argue about sleep, Isabella burrowed deep under the blankets and in her pillows, as Sonny scooted closer to her. Within seconds, she was out cold and snoring away, much to Sonny's amusement. Both Harry and Leia had found their place in their bed as well, curled up together in a big mass of fur and tails. 

It was a perfect Saturday. 

 


	74. too close for comfort.

"Mommy is touching Daddy's butt again," Evelina whined, as she peered into the kitchen. "Why is she always touching his butt, Rina?" 

Carina, at ten years old, rolled her eyes and pushed past her sister, stomping into the kitchen. At the counter, her very pregnant Mother was leaning against the counter, while her Father had his arms wrapped around her waist. Carina grimaced, as Isabella's hands rested on Sonny's backside; her hands nestled into the back pockets of his jeans. 

And worst of all....

They were  _kissing._

But it wasn't the "romantic" kisses, that the princes always give to the princesses in the Disney movies. This was worse! Both of them were making noises and Carina swore that she saw tongues going in and out of their mouths. And on top of that, Mommy was  _supposed_ to be making macaroni and cheese for lunch. 

And Carina Rose Carisi was one hungry little girl. A little girl, who didn't like it when her parents got distracted from making her food. 

"Mommy! Stop touching Daddy's butt!" she shouted, startling the couple. 

"Wha?" Sonny frowned, as they both looked at her in a daze. "What's the yellin' for?" 

Carina rolled her eyes at that, "It's uncivilized and against the law, Mommy!" she continued, as her parents stared at her. "And Mommy! You're supposed to be making macaroni and cheese! We are starving and you and Daddy are touching butts and gross kissing! We are going to starve to death!" 

The couple looked at each other, eyes wide and mouths slightly parted, before bursting into hysterical laughter. Carina screeched, stomping her foot on the linoleum floor, scowling at them.

"It's not funny!" she cried. 

"Carina,  _topolina,"_ Sonny snorted, as Isabella giggled. "Mommy just put the water on to boil, sweetheart." 

Isabella nodded, "It's gonna be a while, before I can put the pasta in," she reasoned, as she giggled. "And, you won't starve to death." 

She pouted, "Yes, I will!" she insisted. "I've been waiting a lot of hours for food!" 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Carina, you guys ate like.. a half hour ago," he pointed out. "Mommy and I would never let you four starve to death, which is very dramatic, even for you to say." 

"That's cuz Rina's a drama queen!" Evelina piped up, from her hiding spot. "And that she got it from Mommy!" 

"It's not nice to spy, Lina," Isabella said, as the seven and a half year old came running into the kitchen. "How many times have I told you that?" 

The girl smiled, showing off the empty space where her bottom tooth once sat. "Too many," she giggled, wrapping her arms around Sonny's leg. "Was Daddy trying to eat the baby out of your belly, Mommy?" 

At that, Sonny whistled. "Now, that's a first," he said, holding up his hands. "Eating the baby from Mommy's tummy!" 

Lina giggled, "You can't eat babies, Daddy," she said, shaking her head. "It's not nice." 

"No, it's not nice at all," he said, ruffling her hair. "And I wasn't tryin' to eat the baby, Lina. I was just kissin' Mommy." 

"But why?" Carina asked. "Why do you have to kiss her like that?" 

Her parents snorted, "Like what?" Isabella asked, as Sonny wrapped his arm around her waist. "What's wrong with the way Daddy and I were kissing?" 

The ten year old made a face, "It was gross," she started off. "You had your tongues in each others mouths and that's how people get sick! You told me so, Mommy!" 

"Thank god," Sonny muttered. "Carina, sometimes Mommies and Daddies kiss a certain way. It's a way of....." 

"Expressing how we love each other, without using words," Isabella finished for him. "Daddy and I kiss, because we love each other  _soooooo_ much." 

Lina giggled, "Why did you touch Daddy's butt?" she asked. "You said his butt smelled really bad." 

Sonny snickered, "Yeah, Mommy!" Carina nodded in agreement. "You said so the other day, when Daddy farted!" 

"Oh my god," Isabella groaned, as the girls giggled and nodded. 

"You saids "Oh my god, Dominick! Your," and it was a bad word, Mommy, "butt smells like something died inside! I'm going to be sick!" and then you kinda turned green and threw up!" Carina informed her. 

"It's just a saying!" Isabella exclaimed, as the girls and Sonny laughed. "Goodness, do you have to remember  _every_ word I say?" 

Her husband kissed her cheek, "They're like sponges, you said," he reminded her. "Girls, it's perfectly normal for Mommy and Daddy to do this stuff. Someday, when you guys get married, you'll do the same thing." 

Carina scoffed, "I'm  _never_ getting married," she said, shaking her head. "Zia Amanda isn't married and she says that being married is overrated." 

"Zia Amanda needs to remember that her audience is under the age of forty," Isabella said, making a mental note to talk to her friend. "And, I'm sure you'll think differently when you're much older." 

"I wanna marry Star-Lord," Evelina said, as Siena wandered into the kitchen. 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Star-Lord is a bum, Lina," he scoffed. "Marry someone who can keep a stable job and live in one place." 

Lina frowned, "But, he saves dinosaurs too!" she cried, as Isabella snorted. "Daddy! You said to find a nice boy, who's nice to both people  _and_ animals! Dinosaurs are animals too!" 

"I wanna marry Han Solo," Siena shrugged, as Sonny looked between his three girls. 

"I support it, therefore, it must happen," Sonny said, pointing to the four year old. "Quote me, babe." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "I'm not "quoting" you on anything,  _babe,"_ she said, smiling sweetly at him. "Now, if you three are done talking about your desires to get married or not, we have food to make. Since, apparently, we're starving you three." 

Siena shrugged, as she went to play with the alphabet magnets on the refrigerator. "Wanna see if Ellie's up?" Sonny asked, looking down at Evelina. "She's probably waitin' for her baba and for Daddy to clean her poopie butt again." 

"Why do you touch her poopie butt, Daddy?" Lina asked, as Sonny picked her up. "Touching poop is gross!" 

"Because Ellie's a baby and she can't wipe her own butt, like you three do," Isabella pointed out, as she and Sonny started out of the kitchen. "And even then, Daddy and I still have to help you three with that." 

As they left the kitchen, Isabella turned her attention to Carina. "Are you still upset about Daddy and I kissing?" she asked, as Siena hummed to herself by the fridge. 

Carina shrugged, "Can you just....not be gross about it?" she asked, which made Isabella snort. "And stop touching butts, Mommy! You and Daddy said that touching butts is a no-no! And that no one can touch your butt, except your own person." 

"Which is very true," Isabella nodded. "But.. this is a different kind of touching. And, when you're a little older, Daddy and I will explain it to you. But for now, just remember that no one can touch your butt. Unless it's someone you know, like Daddy or me. Or, if a doctor has to for whatever reason, one of us will be there with you." 

"Why would a doctor have to touch my butt?" 

Isabella sighed, "Remember when Siena had a bad diaper rash on her bottom?" she asked, which made Carina nod. "Well, the doctor had to look at her bottom when Daddy and I took her to the doctor. And, he had to put special medicine on her bottom, which he did with his hand." 

"Ew, that's gross," Carina frowned, shaking her head. "I don't want anyone touching my butt!" 

Her Mother nodded, "Good, because you're ten years old. "You should be able to wipe your own butt now anyways." 

Siena moved away from the fridge and over to Isabella, tugging on her pants. "Mommmyyy, can I have a juice box?" she asked, jutting out her bottom lip. "Pwease?" 

"Yes, you can have a juice box," Isabella sighed, pushing away from the counter slowly. "You want one, Carina?" 

"No thank you, Mommy. I can wait until my macaroni is done," Carina said. "Can I go play now?" 

Taking a juice box out of the refrigerator, Isabella turned and looked at the ten year old. "You can," she nodded. "Just don't make a big mess, alright? Mommy can't bend down too much these days, with this big ol' belly in the way." 

Siena giggled, as Isabella poked the straw into the box. "Baby come soon?" she asked, as the juice box was handed to her. 

"Soon," Isabella nodded, resting one hand on the small of her back, while the other rubbed the top of her extended belly. "Three more weeks of Mommy waddling around the house, and making Daddy buy pickles and chocolate sauce on his way home from work." 

"Uh oh, I heard Mommy say somethin' about pickles and chocolate sauce," she heard from Sonny, as he came downstairs. "I think it's time for us to talk to Mommy about this, Ellie. At least with you, she ate jellybeans and pizza bagels." 

Isabella snorted, as she picked up the box of macaroni and cheese. "Go on and play in the living room," she said to Carina and Siena. "Lunch will be done soon and after that, it's nap time for you two and Lina." 

Carina pouted, "No pouting," Isabella warned, as she dumped the noodles into the boiling water. "Nap after lunch and maybe you'll get a special treat after dinner." 

"Ohhhhkayyyy," the ten year old sighed, dramatically, as she dragged her feet. 

"Mommy, can I help?" Siena asked, as she walked around the kitchen, sipping from her juice box. "Pweaseeeee?" 

She nodded, "You can help me get the bowls out," she said, moving to the drawer that housed their plasticware. "Go set these on the table for me. After that, we can go play with Carina, while the food cooks." 

Doing just that, the four year old set the colorful bowls onto the table, before taking her Mother's outstretched hand. "Can we play with my dollies?' she asked, as they walked out of the kitchen. "My Frozen dollies?" 

"We can play with whatever you like," Isabella said with a smile, as Siena squealed. 

"I'm gonna make 'em kiss!" she giggled. "Like you and Daddy!" 

Isabella fought back a groan, as she shook her head with a sigh. "As long as you don't do it in front of Carina," she mumbled, as the little girl rushed forward to get her dolls. 


	75. theodore giovanni carisi

When Isabella went into labor, on the hottest day of July, it was right after the weather service put out a hurricane warning.

"Of all the friggin' days!" Sonny panicked, as they waited for Liv and Chief Dodds to arrive at their home. "The kid couldn't wait until after the storm?"

"Babies tend to do what they want, dear," Isabella said, as she breathed through a contraction. "Are you girls ready? You're gonna spend the night with Zia Olivia, Noah and Mr. Dodds!"

Carina nodded, as did Evelina, for they were excited to spend time with their Aunt and her boyfriend. "I don't wanna," Siena pouted, as Ellie squealed in Sonny's arms. "Can I go with you?"

Isabella sighed, "We'll see you after the baby comes," she promised, as Siena continued to pout and grumble. "It's gonna be a long night for Mommy and Daddy, Siena. And when the baby finally comes, there's gonna be a lot of people coming and going from the room."

"Sweetheart, you're gonna have so much fun with Zia Liv," Sonny promised, as he rechecked Isabella's hospital bag. For the fourth time, since the first contraction started. "The Chief will make that yummy spinach thingy, while you guys and Zia Liv will make cookies with Noah.."

"I sees them!" Carina squealed, as she stood on the love seat in the living room. "I sees Zia Livvie!"

Greeting their friends, Liv went quickly to Isabella, while Carina and Evelina went to William and Noah. "My god, you two couldn't wait a few days?" she teased, hugging the laboring woman.

She gave her a smile, wincing slightly as another contraction started up. "I was determined to wait until my actual due date," she started, as Liv nodded. "Thank god we're done after this, Liv. I forgot how painful it is, birthing out a baby."

"Well, luckily William and I packed enough to get us through a few days," Liv said. "If the storm is going to be as bad as they say it is, we wanted to be prepared. I'll send the boys out to pick up some more food, and we'll have a fun time together."

"Are you sure?" Isabella asked, as Sonny set Ellie down in the playpen. "I feel bad that you guys had to come all the way out to Queens, during an incoming hurricane."

Liv snorted, "Well, your parents are in Italy for a wedding," she pointed out. "And there's no way Sonny's parents are going to get off Staten Island, with all the traffic and suspended ferry services. Thank god the bridges are still open until tomorrow morning, so you two can still get into Manhattan."

Sonny came into the dining room at that moment, "And thank god it's a little after noon," he remarked. "Otherwise, you would be givin' birth in the car."

"Like you'd be able to handle that one," his wife retorted, as she rubbed the side of her belly. "We should probably get going, that way I can get checked in and drugged up."

"Going for the epidural this time?" Liv asked, surprised.

The other woman shrugged, "I went without it the first four times," she sighed. "Might as well give it a try, since this is the last baby coming out of me."

Saying goodbye to the girls, promising to call and send pictures, Sonny got Isabella into the car along with their bags. "I left the emergency list on the fridge, "Sonny said, as Liv and William stood on the front stoop with the kids. "All our parents numbers, Frenchie and Tony's hotel information, diaper sizes, allergies and their doctors..."

"Carisi, it'll be fine," William chuckled. "Just get Isabella to the hospital, before she gives birth in the front seat."

Nodding, Sonny gave the kids one last hug and kiss, before climbing into the car. With a honk, Sonny pulled out of the driveway and onto the street, before heading off towards Manhattan.

.................

By eight-thirty that evening, Isabella and Sonny were moments away from meeting their baby. After checking in and getting the epidural, Isabella's labor sped up quickly, much to her relief. Doctor Brown and his team of nurses watched her closely, praying to avoid a repeat of what happened during Ellie's birth. They took a walk up and down the hallway, before heading back into their room, where Isabella did everything and anything to take the pressure off her back. She cursed at Sonny, at God and everything else, as Baby Carisi made it's final descent to freedom.

"Alright, the head is out," Doctor Brown announced, once the horrible sensation of crowning passed. "Blonde, this one."

"That's good," Isabella panted, squirming on the bed. "Can I push now?"

Given the clear, Isabella bore down and pushed with all her might, as the baby made it's way out of her. "Here are the shoulders..." the doctor announced, as Isabella let out a groan. "One more push!" Readjusting her hold on Sonny's hand, Isabella took in a deep breath and pushed, letting out a gasp as the baby left her. "

It's a boy!"

"YES!" Sonny clapped his hands together, whooping and cheering, as the doctor suctioned out the newborn boy's nose and mouth.

"Come cut the cord, Dad," Doctor Brown chuckled, as the nurse held out the umbilical scissors to him. "Stacy, clamp it here..."

Doing what he was asked, Sonny carefully snipped away the final piece that kept their son connected to Isabella; a nine month journey of growing and nurturing within her, while her body took the brunt of it all.

"He's a big one," Doctor Brown said, as the boy was placed on Isabella's chest.

"Hi, Handsome," Isabella cooed, as the nurse helped her pull down the gown. "I know, I know. You're freezing and not too thrilled right now.."

As quickly as she offered her breast, the boy grabbed on, suckling furiously as he shivered. More blankets were brought over, as Isabella and the boy were covered. Turning her attention to Sonny, Isabella gave him a tired and relieved smile, as he came over to kiss her. "I'm so proud of ya, babe," Sonny said, smoothing her sweat-drenched locks back from her face.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I birthed a boulder," Isabella joked, as the baby suckled away. "You got a boy."

He chuckled, " _We_ got a boy," he corrected her. "He's beautiful, Iz. Look at him!"

Covered in blood and god only knows what, Isabella could tell that he was a splitting image of Sonny; from the hair right down to his pouty lips and nose. All the baby pictures she had seen of Sonny, would later confirm it, when the family would finally meet the newest Carisi/Palladino grandchild.

"Let's get him weighed and measured," Stacy said, as she carefully took the baby from them. "We'll get him cleaned up down in the nursery and run the standard tests, before brining him back up."

"Will it be long?" Isabella pouted, as the boy cried.

Stacy winked, "For you? I'll make it as quick and painless as possible," she said. "After all, this is the last Carisi baby from you two. Now, I gotta wait another twenty years for your grand babies. By then, I'll be an old lady."

Sonny followed the nurse, as she brought the baby over to the scale. "Holy shit!" Sonny exclaimed, startling Stacy and Isabella. "Look at the balls on this kid!"

"Dominick!" Isabella cried, as another nurse and the doctor prepped for the final stages of delivery. "Language!"

"How the hell did you not see these things, Doc?" Sonny continued, as Stacy read out the stats with a giggle. "They're HUGE!"

Isabella shook her head, "Poor kid is going to me traumatized by this story," she mumbled, as Sonny continued on, talking to their son. "Dominick Carisi! Enough about the size of your son's anatomy!" 

He looked over at her, shrugging and pouting. "I'm just makin' an observation!" he said, as Stacy wrapped the newborn in a standard hospital blanket. "Right, lil man?"

"We'll be back," Stacy said, as she set the baby into the transport cart. "Try to keep it kid friendly in here, please. We've got babies listening in!" 

Making his way back over to Isabella's bedside, Sonny gave her a sheepish smile, as he took hold of her hand again. "Sorry, babe," he said, as Isabella pushed through a weak contraction. 

"It's fine," she muttered, as the doctor and nurse worked to remove the placenta. 

"But.. you should really take a look at 'em, Iz," Sonny said, snickering. "I think they might be bigga than mine! Which is crazy, since I'm a grown man and he's a lil' baby!" 

Doctor Brown snorted, as Isabella glared at her grinning husband. "You won't have any, when I'm through with you," she warned, as Sonny chuckled. "They're balls for fucks' sake! Who cares if they're big or not!" 

Sonny pressed a kiss to her cheek, "Ah, I'm just playin' around," he said, as Isabella was instructed to push one more time. "We all know who's got the bigger set in this household." 

"Get out," Isabella scoffed, pulling her hand away from him. "Go call Liv or something. I'm trying to deliver a sac of god knows what, and you're talking about balls!" 

"Fine, fine," Sonny chuckled, as he grabbed his phone. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Iz." 

She rolled her eyes, "I love you," Sonny said, watching with amusement as she fought back a smile. "Ah! See, you can't stay mad at me!" 

Isabella turned to look at him, "You're so fucking weird, Sonny," she giggled. "Go call the Liv and the kids. Let them know the baby's here and that we're healthy. Your parents too." 

"I'll be back in a lil bit," Sonny promised, as Doctor Brown prepped Isabella for her stitches. 

 

............

By midnight, the first rain bands of Hurricane Teresa made her way up the Eastern seaboard. Phone calls and pictures had gone out, as Isabella nursed, before Sonny put the phone down and turned his attention to both Mother and child. "You haven't put him down, since the moment he stopped eating," Isabella yawned, as she watched Sonny. He blushed,

"I can't believe he's here," he admitted. "A boy, Iz. We have a boy."

She gave him a tired smile, as he continued. "I mean, I love all of our kids," he shrugged. "Every single birth was amazin' and I can't believe we made four beautiful lil girls. Whether they were boys or girls, didn't really matter to me. If we had a boy or not, wasn't really in my thoughts."

"But, you're happy this one is a boy," Isabella finished, as he nodded. "It's alright to feel extra excited about it, Sonny. I'm happy too. It's going to be so much fun, raising a little boy with four girls running about."

"What are we even gonna name him?" he asked, as their nameless son slept in his arms. "All the girls have Italian names. What the hell are we gonna name him?"

She shrugged, "Dominick?"

He made a face, "Nah, I'm a Junior and I don't even use my given name," he said, as she giggled. "Nothin' French though, because you can't be the only one with a non-Italian name."

"Well, I was thinking of something classy," Isabella said, shifting her head against the pillows. "Theodore was one I was looking at a few weeks ago."

"Lil Teddy," Sonny cooed, looking down at the boy. "How about.... Theodore Giovanni? If the first name isn't too Italian, his middle name can be."

Isabella nodded, "And Theodore in Italian is Teodoro," she informed him. "In French, it's spelt the same in the English language. But us French people, like to throw accents over every other letter."

At that moment, Theodore broke out into a wide yawn, his little mittened fists coming up to his chin. Outside, the sky lit up with lightning, as the rain began to pick up. "Man, I feel bad for Liv and the Chief," Sonny whistled, as they looked out the window. "Not sure how they're gonna get any sleep, with four screamin' kids."

"I'm sure Liv and William have everything under control," Isabella said, pulling the hospital blanket up to her chin. "Hopefully we can get some sleep, before he wakes up. I don't know how much more he could eat, Sonny. He's huge to begin with!"

He chuckled, "Evelina was bigger," he remind her, shuddering at the memory of her birth. "Ten pounds, eight ounces. I'm surprised you were able to walk after that one."

"There's no way he's nine and a half pounds," Isabella shook her head. "That scale must've been wrong."

"The scale is not wrong," Sonny insisted. "Theo's a healthy boy. Babies eat a lot and, like the girls before him, Theo will eat like it's goin' out of style. But, he's fine. Doctor Brown insisted he was a healthy boy and that we've got nothin' to worry about."

Isabella pouted, "At least you don't have to worry about a flappy vagina," she muttered. "Hope you've enjoyed my lady bits, these last twelve years, Sonny. I think they gave up, the moment he came out."

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Iz, go to sleep," he shook his head. "We'll worry about ya lady bits, once we settle down at home with Theo and the girls."

...........

When the worst of the storm passed, two days later, Isabella and Theodore were discharged from the hospital. Once they returned to their home, finding it cleaned and spotless, they were greeted by three overly excited children and a cranky toddler.

"Oh, he's gorgeous!" Liv gasped, taking a peek at the sleeping newborn. "He looks so much like Sonny!"

"It's a boy?" Carina asked, as Evelina made a face. "We have a brother, Daddy!?"

Sonny chuckled, as he held Ellie in his arms. "You do," he nodded, as she squealed. "This is your brother. Theodore Giovanni Carisi!"

Evelina whined, "I wanted another sister!" she said, pouting at the baby.

"You have three of them!" William laughed, as Siena and Carina peered into the carrier. "Congratulations, guys! He's gonna be a real heartbreaker for sure!"

"Noelle called here a few times," Liv said, as Sonny picked up the carrier with one hand. "Wanted updates every hour, since they couldn't get through on your phones."

Isabella snorted, "She'll be kicking our door down in a few days," she said, shaking her head. "She'll never leave, now that she's got a Grandson."

"Well, I do know that a few people will be a bit richer come tomorrow," Liv mused. "Amanda will be very happy."

"Fin bet for a girl?" Sonny asked, amused. "Man, he's probably furious right now."

"I told them not to bet!" his boss shrugged. "Barba owes me dinner, since we decided not to do money this time. He bet a girl, while I bet a boy."

William shook his head, "This is heavily frowned upon," he said, despite the twinkle in his eyes.

Sitting on the edge of the coffee table, Sonny moved Ellie to his knee, while keeping an eye on Theodore. "Ah, but we gotta keep it light in the office," he shrugged.

"Which, I better not see you in, for at least a week or two" Liv warned, pointing at him. "Unless you're bringing photos, I don't want to see you at work until Isabella's ready to kick you out."

"Oh, I might just take the full paternity leave this time around," Sonny teased.

Isabella shook her head, "Clearly, I don't let him out much," she said, as Liv and William laughed. "He acts like he's so deprived from the world around him."

At that moment, Theodore began to fuss, as he woke from his nap. His cries then startled Ellie, who began to whimper as Sonny tried to calm both the newborn and the toddler at the same time.

"Oh, no! Not again!" Evelina cried, as Theodore began to wail. "All these babies crying!"

"Oh, I wish you two lots of luck," Liv shook her head, as Isabella took the wailing newborn into her arms.

...............

By the end of their first week with Theodore at home, Sonny and Isabella managed to get all their children into bed by seven-thirty. Feeding and changing Theodore, Isabella watched as Sonny rocked him to sleep, before settling him into the bassinet near their bed.

"A quarter to eight and we're all in bed," Sonny whispered, as he climbed under the blankets. "We haven't done this in years."

"Hopefully they'll all sleep for a few hours," she mused, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm so tired, Sonny. I could sleep for days, if I didn't have to feed a baby. Or change a pad, every few hours."

He snorted, "I hear ya," he yawned. "We're older now, compared to when we first started havin' babies. Forty-two feels like sixty-two."

Isabella hummed, "Ah, but you wear it so well, Sonny," she whispered. "I'm turning forty in two weeks and I look horrible."

"You do not," Sonny insisted, kissing her forehead. "You just had a baby and you're sleep deprived. Hell, I'm sure I look like shit too. Between gettin' up to feed Theo and playin' all day with the girls? We're lucky if we can even shower for more than five minutes."

"Maybe, when the doctor gives me the all clear, I'll take working out seriously," Isabella sighed. "Take Ellie and Theo walking with that double stroller, Maman bought us."

Sonny nodded, "We could take walks in the park together," he offered. "I think we still have those old yoga dvd's you got, before we got married, somewhere in the attic." 

She snorted, "I don't think I could  _ever_ get my leg up over my head again," she said, as Sonny ran his hand up and down her back. "Those days are over." 

"Ah, I wouldn't say they're definitely over," he teased. "I remember those legs goin' up over ya head, a few months ago. And even then, you had a bit of a baby belly goin' for ya." 

"Listen, buddy," Isabella nudged him with her arm. "It's gonna be a while before you can charm my pants off, so keep those comments to a minimum." 

He hummed, as they fell into a comfortable silence; the little snores and coos from the bassinet, along with the clicking from the ceiling fan overhead, filled the room. The rest of the house ran on air conditioning, as the girls cried about being "too hot" at night. The last thing they needed, was for little Theo to catch a cold, being that he was only a week old. 

"What time is his appointment tomorrow?" Sonny asked. 

"One-thirty," Isabella yawned. "Your parents will be here by eleven to watch the girls, so that we can take him. They're gonna stay for dinner too, so Mom's making lasagna and meatballs with the girls." 

"Little Queen's, those four," Sonny chuckled. 

She yawned, "They were raised to be such," she remarked, burrowing further under the blankets. "We should get some sleep. Before we lose the opportunity and one of them wakes." 

As the day bled into the night, the sun setting and the sky changing from pink to black,  all was quiet in the Carisi household. 


	76. recovery

Isabella hummed, as she scooped the raw cookie dough onto the tray; the house quiet, save for the baby monitor on the counter nearby and the oven heating up. With the girls at school, save for Ellie, Isabella took the chance to catch up on housework and bake chocolate chip cookies for the kids and Sonny. 

Setting the spoon down in the mixing bowl, Isabella picked up the full tray and brought it to the oven, setting it onto the top rack. Setting the timer, she made her way back to the counter to prepare the next tray, when a groan sounded on the staircase. 

"Izzie.." 

"In here," she called out, setting a ball of cookie dough on the parchment paper. 

Sonny shuffled in a few minutes later, groaning and swearing with each step. Turning to look at him, Isabella gave him a sympathetic smile, as she held out her hand for him to take. 

"How do you feel?" she asked, as he pressed a kiss against her cheek. "You're walking better than you were yesterday." 

"Feels like my balls have been ripped off," he muttered, as he leaned against her frame. "Iz, it hurts." 

She sighed, patting his hand that rested on her belly; slightly curved, as the baby within continued to grow as each week passed. "I know it does," she nodded, setting the spoon down on the tray. "Did you take anything?" 

He shook his head, "Nah, the bottles are down here, 'member?" 

"Right," Isabella nodded, giving him quick kiss. "Let's get you something for the pain and lets take a look.." 

Grabbing the bottle of Ibuprofen from the upper cabinet, Isabella filled a glass with water and brought everything over to Sonny. "Do you think you need ice again?" she asked, as he threw the pills back, washing them down with the water. 

"Maybe," he sighed, setting the glass down. "If I knew this was gonna hurt, I probably would've planned better." 

"Babe, a vasectomy is gonna be painful regardless of how well you prepare for it," Isabella reminded him. "The doctor said it would be a few days, before you start to feel normal again. You only had it done yesterday, so the fact that you're up and walking today is good." 

Sonny pouted, "I'm hobblin' like a grandpa, Iz," he whined, as she went to get an icepack from the freezer. 

Isabella giggled, "Well, you're a very  _sexy_ grandpa," she teased, handing the unicorn shaped icepack to him. 

Taking it, Sonny looked at the icepack, than back at Isabella with a raised eyebrow. "You want me to put this on my balls?" he asked, giving the icepack a light shake. "An icepack, which I know Evelina was usin' last week for face, which will now touch my balls?" 

"I still have to sanitize the other three," Isabella said, rolling her eyes. "Sonny, just put it on there. They get sanitized after every use and I replace them more than that, since the kids are always ripping them open anyways." 

Helping him up, Isabella led him to the downstairs bathroom, where she grabbed the cu-tips and tube of antibiotic cream from the cabinet. "Alright, drop 'em," she said, as Sonny stood by the toilet bowl. 

He blushed, "Sonny, it's not like you've got something I haven't seen before," she mused. "Balls are balls, baby." 

"Yeah, but," he shifted slightly. "Mine are a fuckin' mess now." 

"And I'll love 'em regardless, Sonny." Isabella nodded, standing on her toes to kiss him. "Now, drop ya panties." 

.................

"Do not jump on Daddy like that!" Isabella scolded, as she set Evelina down on the floor. "What did I tell you, Evelina Marie?" 

"Iz, it's alright," Sonny said, as Evelina scowled at her. "She's just excited to see me, after a long day of school." 

His wife shook her head, "She knows better, Sonny," she reminded him. "You're still recovering!" 

Evelina whined, "Don't be mean, Mommy," she pouted, stomping her foot on the carpet. "Don't be mean!" 

"C'mere, Lina," Sonny said, patting the spot next to him. Evelina quickly climbed up onto the couch, scrambling over to his side. "Easy, easy. There, just sit right here next to me and tell me about ya day." 

Shaking her head, Isabella turned and headed back into the kitchen, where Carina and Sienna did their homework. With dinner in the oven, there was very little for Isabella to do between now and then. Ellie was currently sitting in her playpen, having been fed her bottle and changed into a fresh diaper.

With Sonny on day three of post-op, the girls were growing restless; Daddy being home, meant that they could play like wild animals together. It meant that they could crawl all over him and run around, driving Mommy crazy. But, when Mommy says "no," as well as Daddy, things aren't always sunny in the Carisi household. 

"When can Daddy play again?" Carina pouted, as she looked up from her workbook. 

"Soon," Isabella promised, as she checked on the chicken in the oven. "When the doctor says Daddy's better, you guys can be wild and crazy as much as you want."

Siena sighed, "Why is Daddy sick?" she asked. "Why, Mommy?"

Isabella sighed, "He's not sick, baby," she assured her. "Daddy has a boo-boo and he has to take it easy. Which means, you guys can't be jumping on him." 

"Because it'll make his boo-boo hurt more?" Carina asked. 

"Yeah," her Mother nodded, as Siena began to whine. "Siena Grace, we don't whine!" 

Scowling, just like her sister, Siena went back to doing her homework; coloring on her worksheet with abandon, as Carina finished her math problems. Setting a stack of dishes on the counter, Isabella went back into the living room to check on Sonny and the other two girls. 

Evelina was currently leaning against Sonny's chest, while her feet rested on the couch cushion next to him. "So, I gots to feed the baby chicks and hold them!" she squealed, as Sonny gasped. "Mrs. Keery says I can name one of them, so I'm going to name the big one Bob!" 

"Bob?" Sonny snorted, as Evelina giggled. "Alright, Bob's a good name for a baby chick." 

"Mama!" Ellie shrieked, standing against the side of the playpen, her little hand reaching out for her. "Mama! Up!" 

Making her way over to the playpen, Isabella picked the eleven month old up. "What's the matter?" she asked, as Ellie babbled. "Hm?" 

Ellie blinked at her, "Dada," she pouted, turning to look at Sonny. "Dada, kess!" 

"You wanna give Dada a kiss?" Isabella asked, as Ellie beamed at her; five little white caps lining her gums. "Let's go give Dada a kiss." 

"Mommy and I would have to talk about gettin' a baby duck," Sonny said, as he looked up at his wife and youngest. "Hey, Ellie belly! You bein' a good girl for Mommy?" 

The baby squealed, reaching out for him. "Ellie wants to give you a kiss," Isabella said, as she handed the girl over to him. "Easy, though." 

Moving a pillow to cover his groin, Sonny cradled Ellie in one arm, smothering her face with kisses. "Dada! Dada!" Ellie squealed, giggling and grabbing at his face and hair. 

"What?" he asked, pulling back to look at her, chuckling as she grinned at him. 

"Kess!" 

Evelina giggled, as Sonny resumed his kisses, which made the baby shriek with joy. It was always Ellie, who could bring the entire room into a fit of joy, as she squealed and giggled at everything around her. While she was still wobbly on her feet, Ellie was quick to talk these days. Dada was her first word, followed by No and Mama; all in the same sentence, when Isabella tried to feed her pureed carrots as her first solid food. 

"Moooommmmyyyyy, is the chicken done?" Carina called out from the kitchen. "I'm hungry!" 

"Lina, go help Mommy," Sonny said, giving the seven year old a kiss on the forehead. "And, be a good girl." 

Hoping off the couch, Evelina made her way over to Isabella. "Can I make the potatoes, Mommy?" she asked. 

Isabella nodded, "Daddy would be very upset, if we didn't have mashed potatoes with dinner," she said, giving her husband a wink. 

...................

**Three Months Later....**

Sonny finished getting ready for bed, after coming in from a late shift. The girls had been long tucked into bed and read a story, before falling into dreamland. 

"So? How was your day?" Isabella asked, as she sat up in bed; a book sitting on her lap. 

"Ah, you know," Sonny shrugged, locking up his gun in the closet. "Paperwork. Bossing Amanda and the rookies around, while Liv yells at Barba again." 

Isabella giggled, "Poor baby," she pouted, as he set his watch on the nightstand. "At least you didn't have to run around in the rain today." 

He shrugged, "I had to dodge the rain for my doctor's appointment," he said, pulling the blankets back on his side of the bed. 

"Oohh, was this the final appointment?" Isabella asked, setting her book to the side. "So? How'd it go? What the tests say?" 

"Well," Sonny sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Shootin' blanks. Our baby makin' days are officially over." 

Squealing, Isabella moved quickly, straddling his lap; Sonny chuckled, holding her still as she smothered his face with kisses. "This is exciting!" she said, as he pushed her hair away from her face. "We should celebrate!" 

Sonny laughed, "Celebrate the fact that I'm sterilized?" he asked, as she nodded. "Oh, Iz.." 

"Celebrate the fact that we don't have to worry about condoms, pills, other weird contraceptive methods!" she listed. "Think of how much money we'll save alone, now that we don't have to buy condoms!" 

"Which will go to diapers, clothes and college tuitions," Sonny pointed out, as his hands came to rest against her belly. "I'll admit it. Kinda sad that we won't be makin' anymore of these lil' angels." 

Isabella nodded in agreement. "Despite all the aches and pains, it has been one of the best experiences of my life," she sighed, resting her hands against his. 

Sonny hummed, moving his hand up and under her night shirt. "Still kinda early," he noted, his warm hands roaming against her flesh. 

"It is.." Isabella said, trying her best not to smirk. "Why? What do ya got in mind, Sergeant?" 

"Wanna fool around? See if everythin' down there still works the same as it did, before I got cut up?" Sonny teased. 

Leaning down for a kiss Isabella squealed as Sonny rolled them both over, their bodies sinking into the mass of sheets. A long recovery process, yes. But in the end, it was so worth the wait. 


	77. gingerbread houses and christmas cookies

The kitchen table had been covered with bowls of candy, icing and pieces of various gingerbread houses; three girls squabbled over icing and candies, while their Father played referee, while decorating a gingerbread man cookie 

"Si Si, I want the pink one!" Carina whined, as Siena slathered her gingerbread girl with the pink icing. "You've had it for too long already!" 

"Girls.." Sonny warned, as Theodore squealed from his highchair. "There's enough for everyone, alright? I made sure to make enough pink icing for all of ya." 

Carina sighed, "It's not even a  _real_ gingerbread house, Daddy," she rolled her eyes. "It's graham crackers. And it's Paw Patrol!" 

Sonny shrugged, "So? Si Si got the chocolate one and you got a gingerbread one. I can't help it, if that's what your sisters wanted, Carina," he said. "You and Mommy made gingerbread cookies earlier, so we'll have plenty of gingerbreadness in the Carisi house this Christmas." 

Isabella snickered, as she set the cookies onto a cooling rack. "Daddy let you guys get the houses you wanted," she reminded Carina. "Be lucky we're doing them this year, considering last year you three fought over the one house and broke it. Just before I could get the icing together.." 

"Daddy, why is your gingie man have green hair?" Siena asked. 

"Because it's cool," Sonny said, looking down at the cookie before him. "And because Mommy wont' let me change my hair to green, so the cookie is livin' my dreams." 

The girls squealed, as did Ellie and Theodore, who sat in their respected high chairs. "You'd look silly with green hair, Daddy," Evelina said, as she stuck an M&M onto the roof of her house. 

"Daddy, moh cookeess, pease," Ellie said, licking her icing covered lips. "Pease?" 

"I think if you eat anotha cookie, ya gonna turn into one," Sonny snickered, wiping her mouth with his hand. "Drink some water from ya sippy first, and maybe I'll give ya another cookie." 

The little blonde pouted, as Sonny pushed the sippy in front of her. "You need to start drinkin' from the sippy, Ellie belly. No more bottles for the big girl, alright?" 

Carry a plate of cookies- spritz, sugar and chocolate chip- to the table, Isabella cleared a spot in the middle of the table, before setting it down. "Wow, these look great!" she said, as the girls lunged for the plate of cookies. "Look how creative you guys are! I don't know where it comes from!" 

"Don't tell stories, Mommy," Sonny snorted, as the girls took a quick break. "We all know it comes from you, Miss Artsy Fartsy." 

"Fartsy!" Evelina nearly howled, as Siena and Carina giggled. 

Theodore let out a squeal, as he smacked his hand on the highchair tray; the five month old, like his almost two year old sister, had very little contribution to the gingerbread house committee and couldn't take part in eating the cookies. But, he wasn't one for feeling neglected, as he made enough noise to be heard over his sisters. 

"Theo, buddy," Sonny chuckled, reaching out to tickle his sock-clad feet. "I know ya wanna eat the cookies, but ya need teeth for that." 

"He's due for a bottle,' Isabella noted, checking the time on the clock. "Let me get one in the warmer. Keep him entertained, babe. Otherwise, he'll blow all our eardrums out." 

Getting a bottle ready, Sonny made sure the infant was happy, tickling his feet and under his chin. "You're a chunky one, huh?" Sonny chuckled, as Theo squealed. "You're gonna be a big strong boy, Theo. Probably stronger than me!" 

"Nuh uhhhh!" Evelina shook her head, as did Siena. "You're the strongest, Daddy!" 

"Yeah!" Siena nodded in agreement. "You has to be, cuz your a police man!" 

Carina rolled her eyes, "He's a  _Sergeant,"_ she corrected her little sister. "Which means, he's the boss!"

Sonny snorted, "Zia Olivia's the boss, actually," he shrugged. "And, I still do police officer things like I did when you guys were babies. I still go out with Zia Amanda and run after the bad guys." 

"But... you're old, Daddy," Carina frowned. "And Mommy says that..' 

"MOMMY SAID NOTHING!" Isabella shouted from her spot in the kitchen, as she took a baking tray out of the oven. 

Her husband chuckled, "That sounded  _so_ convincin', sweetheart," she said, as the timer on the bottle warmer went off. "Don't worry, girls. Now, let's get these houses done. It's gettin' late!" 

..................

With the kids upstairs and asleep, a bottle of wine had been cracked open, as Sonny and Isabella attempted their own gingerbread house. 

"That's too much!" Isabella giggled, as Sonny squeezed out too much icing for a tiny piece of candy. "Sonnnyy!" 

He chuckled, leaning back in the chair, as Isabella tried to clean up the mess. As she sat on his lap, Sonny watched as she worked to apply a small amount of icing, before placing the green skittle in place. 

"So.. what  _did_ you say to the girls?" he asked, running his hands up and down her back. "Other than me bein' old?" 

"I didn't say anything," Isabella said, as she looked back at him. "Honestly, you're gonna believe a ten year old, over your wife?" 

Sonny stared at her, which made her groan. "Alright, alright," she sighed, as he chuckled. "I did say that, as we get older, sometimes we can't do the things we once did when we were younger. Like running after bad guys, because our bones get tired easily." 

He snickered, "You're such a cornball," he shook his head, as Isabella rolled her eyes. "I can still run, Iz. I just choose to run around after my kids and my wife, instead of thugs. I'm still too young to retire, ya know." 

"You weren't saying that the other night," Isabella teased, as his hands rested on her hips. "How's your knee by the way?" 

"That was a low blow, Iz," he groaned, pulling her back to rest against him. "You were the one that came on to me, showin' off your Christmas spirit, ridin' me like I was Santa's sleigh." 

Isabella let out a laugh, resting her head back against his shoulder, as Sonny laughed with her. "It's not my fault you banged your knee on the coffee table," she managed to get out. 

He let out a gasp, "You left ya panties on the floor!" he exclaimed. "Those silky bastards are sexy, but god are they a hazard. I shoulda ripped them to shreds, when I took 'em off ya." 

Swinging her legs up, Sonny wrapped his arm around them, while moving his other arm around Isabella's waist. The gingerbread house neglected, they both sat quietly at the table, listening out for any movement from upstairs. 

"Riding like Santa's sleigh," Isabella whispered, letting a giggle out. "Seriously though. How's your knee?"

"A little bruised, but nothin' too serious," Sonny shrugged, as Isabella ran her fingers through his hair; free from his perfectly coifed style. "Though.. I made the rookie run today, while I drove the car." 

They both shared a laugh, "So...."Isabella trailed off, tracing her fingers along Sonny's chest. "Can I take a ride on that sleigh again?" 

Sonny snorted, "If we get this table cleared off in five minutes, I'll let ya ride it til ya can't handle it anymore." 

 


	78. boy's day

"Daddy! Daddy! I gots a weenie!" Theo screeched, as he ran down the hallway in nothing but his birthday suit. "No diaper! No diaper!" 

Sonny let out a mix between a chuckle and a groan, throwing the fresh towel over his shoulder. "I know ya do, buddy," he said, as the two year old giggled. "C'mon. Let's get ya in the bath tub, that way we can get that paint off ya. I put extra bubbles in there." 

Theo rushed into the bathroom and waited by the tub, bouncing on his toes. "Bubbles! Bubbles!" he chanted, clapping his hands together. "Lots of bubbles!"

Putting him into the tub, Sonny knelt down with a groan; his knees cracking as he rested against the carpet. "Yeah, lots of bubbles," he said, reaching for the bath sponge. "After this, we'll have something to eat and we'll watch some cartoons."

"Mommy home?" 

"Later," he promised. "Your sisters are with Nonna and Nonno for the night, while Mommy has a girl day with Zia Amanda and Jessie." 

Reaching for the baby shampoo, Sonny poured some out into his hand, and scrubbed at Theo's blonde curls. "I miss Ellie," Theo pouted, as Sonny sculpted a mohawk into fashion. 

Sonny nodded, "I know ya do, Theo," he said, dipping his hands into the water. "I miss her and your sisters too. But, we have most of the day to ourselves! When do you and I ever get to spend the whole day together?" 

The boy shrugged, "Right," Sonny nodded, realizing that at two year old had no idea what he was saying. "I haven't had a boys day in a long time, ya know? Before Mommy and Daddy had you, it was just us and your sisters. Lina's the only one that really liked watching sports and superhero movies..." 

"Lina not a boy," said Theo, has he frowned. "She no has a weenie." 

"No, she doesn't," Sonny chuckled. "Only boys do." 

He bobbed the Stormtrooper duck under the bubbles, "Mommy has a weenie?" he asked. 

Sonny shook his head, "No, Mommy  _definitely_ doesn't have a weenie," he said, filling the pitcher with water. "If she did, we wouldn't have you guys.. " 

Rinsing the soap out of his hair, Sonny moved to scrub off the washable paint, which seemed to be  _everywhere._ "How did you get it on your butt, Theo?" Sonny asked, dipping the washcloth into the water. "You had on a pull-up and shorts for christsakes!"

Once he was sure that the paint was gone, Sonny set the boy down in the bubbly mess, letting him play for a while. "Alll done!" Theo nodded, dropping his ducks into the water. "I get out now! 

"Good, because ya startin' to wrinkle," Sonny said, grabbing the towel from the counter. "C'mon, stinky boy. Lets try to go potty and then we'll eat." 

................

Eating a simple lunch of macaroni and cheese, Sonny brought Theo back upstairs and into his and Isabella''s room. Tucking him under the blankets of Isabella's side of the bed, Sonny grabbed the remote and turned the television on. 

"What should we watch?" Sonny asked, as he flipped through the channels. "Paw Patrol? Mickey Mouse?" 

"Space man!"

Sonny snickered, "Atta boy!" he grinned, turning on the DVD player. "Mommy and I have been together for fourteen years, and she still can't sit through the classic  _Star Wars_ movies, like you and your sisters can." 

Pulling down the shades, Sonny climbed into bed and pulled the blankets over his legs. Wiggling closer, Theo rested up against his Father, who wrapped his arm around his little frame. As the opening credits and theme blasted through the speakers, Theo squealed and wiggled his toes against Sonny's thigh. Sonny was persistent on exposing the kids to pop culture at a young age, starting with Carina at a eight months old to Theo when he was the same age. Of course, Isabella did the same with _Harry Potter_ and recently _Gilmore Girls;_ which Siena became obsessed with. 

Between the movies and picking out the cutesy clothes, Sonny was proud to share his love for  _Star Wars_ with his kids. But when Theo was born, Sonny was over the moon with the idea of sharing something so important from his childhood, with his son. There had been endless lazy weekends, where Isabella found the duo cuddled up together in bed or on the sofa, watching the original trilogy. 

_"If he starts talking like Yoda, I'll ban Star Wars from our home" Isabella warned. "Or if the only sound he makes, is reminiscent to Chewbacca.."_

He knew that Isabella was all bark but no bite, but he wouldn't lie about how relieved his was, when their little boy's first word was "poop"; even if it was disgusting, but beneficial for whenever he did poop in his diaper.

Halfway through the movie, Sonny turned to check on the boy, only to find him out cold and snoring; his little face pressed against his ribcage. Lowering the volume on the television, Sonny shifted further under the blankets and kept his arm around the boy. A little afternoon nap wouldn't hurt. 

.............

Isabella tip-toed into the bedroom, doing her best not to make any noise. There, in her bed, were her two boys; snoring and curled around each other, while the DVD menu played on a loop. It was only a quarter to four, which was early, especially for summertime. Having spent the morning and part of the afternoon with Amanda and her daughter, Isabella came home to a quiet house. Searching on the first floor for any signs of her husband and son, she came up empty handed. Then, she heard the muffled sound of the television playing and knew right away, where they were. 

Making sure the flash was off, along with the sound, Isabella took a quick picture of the two before leaving the room. Making her way back downstairs, she called Angela to see how the girls were doing. 

"They're all good," Angela said. "Carina's upstairs in Sonny's room, readin' some old books he used to read at her age. Evelina's in the backyard with Tommy, Tori and lil' Frankie. Siena and Dom are in the garage, tryin' to make a birdhouse or god knows what." 

"Sounds like fun," Isabella giggled. "How's my Ellie?" 

She could hear Ellie babbling in the background, "She's pushin' her little corn popper toy around the kitchen," Angela laughed. "Drivin' her Nonno crazy all mornin' with it, which is why he's in the garage. We tried to bribe her with somethin' else, but the shriek she let out! Reminds me so much of my son." 

"Ah, she's without a doubt, a miniature Sonny," Isabella snorted. "They all are, to be honest. But Ellie and Theo are all him, from the blonde curls to the puppy dog personality. Theo was like that the moment he was born, and Ellie started right when her brown curls turned golden blonde at six months old."

Angela laughed, "Speaking of Sonny, how was his day with Theo?" 

Isabella sighed, "Well, there's a pot of mac and cheese on my stove, which maybe has... three noodles left over," she started, which made her Mother-In-Law laugh. " A paint explosion on my kitchen table, which I think Sonny  _tried_ to clean." 

"Dear god!"

"They're currently upstairs, sound asleep, with  _Star Wars_ playing on the television," she sighed. "I didn't get any phone calls or texts all day, so I guess it's safe to say they had a good day." 

"Ah, well that's good!" Angela said. "They needed a day together, those two. If not a few hours, since Theo's the only boy. I know he loves his sisters, but sometimes a little boy needs some time with his Father. Sonny was like that with Dom, even when he was a little baby. The girls treated him like one of those cabbage patch dolls..." 

They talked a while more, before Isabella let her go, promising to call back later with Sonny to talk to the girls. Hanging up, she moved to put the cooking pot into the sink, filling it with hot water and soap. 

"Alright," she sighed, as the cats came out of hiding. "Aw, did Daddy forget to feed you?" she asked, as they meowed. "Okay, let me get you some food. Mommy's gonna enjoy this quiet time for as long as possible.." 

..................

"You're home."

Isabella looked up from her book and smiled, as Sonny stood at the arm of the couch; clothes rumpled and hair sticking up in all different directions. 

"Well, I live here," she reminded him, as he yawned. "Got home around a quarter to four, found you two asleep, so I came down here to read." 

"Theo's asleep," he murmured, coming over to her. "Kid can sleep through anythin'." 

Plopping down across her body, Isabella let out a grunt, as she moved the book out from under him. "Aren't you lovely," she said, as Sonny rested his head against her chest. 

"What's for dinner?" he yawned again, snuggling against her. 

She sighed, "I was going to order pizza," she shrugged. "I figured I'd give you two until at least seven-thirty to wake up, before I came up there to do so." 

He groaned, "He's gonna be up all night now," he whined, as Isabella ran her hands through his hair. "Should've woken him up earlier." 

"Just let him run around after dinner and he'll pass out," Isabella said. "Does it all the time anyway, remember? Usually we find him in one of the cat beds or in the laundry baskets." 

"If only CPS knew," Sonny teased. "Did you have a good day with Amanda and Jess?" 

"Yeah," she nodded. "But, I was glad to come home and get out of that heat. I called Mom earlier to see how the girls were doing, and they're all having fun there. Ellie's got that corn popper push toy thing, and I believe she's just as keen to driving them crazy as she is with us." 

Sonny snorted, "I'm throwin' that toy in the garbage, Iz," he promised. "Worst invention to be ever created by Fisher Price." 

Giggling, Isabella patted his back lightly. "Whatever you say, Sonny," she said. "I'll give you five more minutes to cuddle, but then I have to get up to order the pizza. And to get Theo up, so that I can feed my boys." 

"Sorry about the table," he mumbled. "Theo was a lil wild and got paint everywhere. It was even on his butt, Iz. He was wearing a diaper and shorts." 

"He's always putting his hands down his pants," Isabella snorted. "Kids are weird, Sonny. They're always covered in something. Thank god it wasn't shit this time, because that would've been an emergency call from you." 

He grunted, "Bunch of whack-a-doodles, these kids," he sighed. "I'll clean the table though." 

Isabella nodded, "Okay, Sonny," she said, knowing full well, that it would be her cleaning the table. "You just think about pizza toppings, while we enjoy a little bit of silence before little Vader wakes from his slumber." 

 

 


	79. blizzard-y conditions.

Sonny sighed deeply, as he shut the front door behind him; the gale force winds nearly taking his breath away, as the blizzard ravaged the entire Eastern seaboard. The heat in the house had been cranked up, as the sub-zero temperatures kept at it. 

"I want more cheese!" Evelina whined from the kitchen, as Sonny quickly removed his coat. "Mooooooommmmyyyy!" 

"Enough, Lina!" Isabella exclaimed, as the frying pan sizzled. 

Toeing off his wet boots, Sonny made his way down the hall and through the living room, before entering the kitchen. At the sight of him, Carina, Evelina, Siena and Ellie squealed. 

"DADDY!!!!" 

Three girls rushed towards him, crowding around his legs, while Ellie squealed from her high chair. "Easy, easy!" Sonny chuckled, as they smiled at him. "What's goin' on here?" 

"Mommy's makin' cakeo-dillas!" Siena giggled, as Sonny dropped a kiss to Ellie's head. "Chickens and cheese!" 

Carina nodded, "With gucay-moles and sour cream!" she added, as Sonny whistled in surprise. 

"Sounds delicious!" he said, as he kissed Isabella hello. "I hope we have tortilla chips!" 

His wife snorted, "I made sure to buy enough chips to get us through the weekend," she said, turning the tortilla over in the pan. "How was the drive home? 

He sighed, "Awful," he shook his head. "Near white-out conditions, the wind is crazy and it's so goddamn cold," he huffed. "The bridges should be closing in an hour and all of mass transit is shuttin' down, so Fin is crashin' with Amanda and Jessie until it's safe to go home." 

"Lucky him," Isabella teased. "Olivia called like... twenty minutes ago. Wanted to make sure you got home safely, so you better call her back." 

"I'm gonna head upstairs and change," Sonny nodded. "And I'll call Liv while I'm at it, that way she doesn't lose her mind." 

She nodded, "Food should be done in a little bit," she said, as he started out of the kitchen. "Carina, can you set the paper plates on the table? Lina and Siena, get the juice boxes out of the bottom drawer. The quicker we move, the quicker we can eat these quesadillas." 

................

After a late lunch, Sonny did the dishes and cleaned up the table and kitchen, while the girls played in the living room. With Ellie in her walker, the little girl followed Sonny around the kitchen, babbling to herself as she went. 

"Ellie, baby," Sonny chuckled, as she wheeled right into the back of his ankles. "You tryin' to take me out?" 

"Dada!" 

Tossing the junk mail into the trash, Sonny quickly got the infant out of the walker and settled her onto his hip. "What are we gonna do for the rest of the day, Ellie?" he asked, as she placed her hand against his face. "Too cold to go outside." 

From the living room, Sonny could hear the start of a meltdown, as Carina and Evelina fought over toys. "THAT'S MY SHOPKIN!" Evelina shrieked, as Carina yelled back. "GIVE IT BACK, YOU SMELLY POOP FACE!" 

"Evelina Marie!" Isabella warned, as the girls continued to shout at each other. "It's a goddamn Shopkin! YOU HAVE FOUR OF THE SAME ONE!" 

"I guess Mommy's gonna put them to bed soon," Sonny snorted, as Ellie grinned at him. "Don't worry, pumpkin. Daddy'll keep ya up to watch some cartoons or somethin'" 

Carrying Ellie out into the living room, Sonny caught Evelina throwing a pillow at Carina, before making his way over to them. "Enough!" he said, as Evelina huffed. "Or I'll take all these lil' cookie things and throw 'em in the snow!" 

"NOOO!" Carina and Evelina shouted in unison. 

"Then stop fightin' over them," Sonny sighed. "C'mon guys! Four days in this house and you'll spend them in ya rooms! You're big girls now, so start actin' like it!" 

Siena looked up from her doll house. "Daddy?" 

He turned to look at her, "What's wrong?" he asked, as she held her Barbies in her hands. 

"Do you wanna play with my dolly-house?" she asked. "Ellie can play too, as long as she doesn't eat Barbie's head again." 

Isabella snorted from her spot on the sofa, as she fiddled with her I-Pad. Sonny nodded, getting down on the floor next to Siena, moving Ellie to his lap. 

"Maman and Daddy are enjoying their time in Florida," Isabella said, turning the I-Pad around to show Sonny the newest picture that was sent. "They're at Epcot, drinking margaritas and eating authentic Mexican food." 

"Frenchie's eatin' somethin' that isn't French or Italian?" Sonny gasped, which made Carina giggle. "Wow, she's movin' up in the world. She wouldn't even take the girls to Taco Bell two weeks ago, when they asked." 

His wife sighed, "Taco Bell sounds so good right not," she said, leaning back against the couch pillows. "Especially their loaded nachos.." 

Sonny chuckled as he fixed one of the Barbie's shoes. "Well, you'll have to wait until Monday to get T-Bell," he said. "Cravin's or not, there's no way I'm goin' out there." 

"Can you make me nacho's later?" she pouted. 

"If you're still cravin' it later, sure," he nodded. "But, knowin' you, you'll want somethin' else by the time the kids go down for bed. You were like this the last four times you were pregnant, Iz." 

At three and a half months pregnant, Isabella was having an easy start; major food cravings and an extra burst of energy everyday. They were still cautious though, thinking back to Ellie's birth, almost a year before. Ellie, who was an active infant, just a few weeks shy of her first birthday. 

"Dada, 'olly!" Ellie giggled, as Sonny made the Barbie dance around. "My 'olly!" 

"You can play with her," he said, taking off the plastic shoes. "But, don't eat her, El. Otherwise, Si Si will have a meltdown." 

Taking the doll, Ellie held her up by her hair, staring at it with wide eyes. Then, with a shriek, Ellie bobbed the doll up and down in her fist, babbling a mile a minute while doing so. 

"Daddy! She's gonna hurt her!" Siena whined, as Ellie squealed and wiggled about. 

"Nah, she's just wakin' her up," Sonny shrugged. "It's alright, Si." 

The wind howled outside, shaking the windowpanes, which made the girls jump. "It's alright," Isabella said, as she turned around to look outside. 

As quickly as they stopped playing, the girls went back to their toys, ignoring the fact that the blizzard was getting stronger and more dangerous, as the minutes ticked by. 

................

By seven-thirty, the girls were already in bed, sound asleep. With extra blankets on their beds, the girls shared their sleeping spaces with the cats, who were not fans of the cold. Ellie, dressed in three layers, had been the last one to go down for bed; three lullabies and getting Cupcake into the crib with her, Ellie tried to fight off her exhaustion. But Sonny wouldn't have it, knowing just how to play her little game. 

"All asleep and with a furry baby," Sonny announced, as Isabella finished putting the laundry away. "Ellie's gettin' a bit ballsy though, tryin' to make her bed-time later and later." 

"Ahh, sounds like someone I know," Isabella teased, as the laundry basket went back by the closet. 

Grabbing the folded up blankets from the chair, Sonny made his way over to their bed and started shaking them out. "Amanda texted me and said that Fin is driving her crazy," Isabella snorted. "He's already criticized her movie collection, her books and her music. He's been sitting with Jessie for the last hour and a half, coloring in her princess coloring book." 

Sonny snorted, "If he were at his own place, he'd be glued to his game systems," he said. "Hopefully by tomorrow afternoon, he can get out of there.." 

"Do you have to work tomorrow?" 

"Well, since I live the furthest from the precinct, I would be the last one on the list to call," he shrugged. "Liv would have to go in though, which is why she had Lucy stay over. Fin would be next, then Amanda and myself. But, we do have a lot of detectives that live in Manhattan..." 

Isabella sat down on the edge of the bed, "Thank god," she sighed. "I don't know how I would be able to deal with the four of them, while worrying about you driving out into that. I was a nervous wreck when you were coming home from your overnight." 

He sighed, sitting down next to her. "I know," he said. "Hopefully this will be the only blizzard we get this year, that way, we won't have to worry about bein' out in this shit." 

"Since it's still early and we have an undisclosed amount of time alone together," Isabella started. "What do you wanna do?" 

"Are you askin' me what I wanna do or are you askin if I have any ideas?" Sonny chuckled, as she blushed. "We could get under these blankets here and make some heat.." 

Laughing, Isabella laid back across the bed, giving Sonny the chance to lean over her. "Okay," she nodded, as his hand moved to her belly; which was starting to show the signs of pregnancy. "But, if one of the kids wake up, you're getting up to tend to them." 

................

By two in the morning, the wind had stopped howling, but the snow continued to fall; heavy, fat flakes that covered the streets in white. The couple had been sound asleep, after their night time activities, before Ellie woke them up with her crying. Sonny managed to pull on a pair of sleep pants, before heading across the hall to tend to her, while Isabella went downstairs to get water. 

"How is she?" Isabella asked, as he came back into the bedroom. 

"Back asleep" Sonny shrugged, moving to the bathroom. "Shitty diaper. I took off that fleece onesie though, since she was sweatin'. Poor kid was miserable." 

Taking a sip of her water, Isabella set it down on the nightstand, before pulling the blanket up to her knees. "She'll probably wake up at eight," she sighed, as Sonny came out from the bathroom. "So much for sleeping in." 

"Ah, I can always bring her in here and she'll go right back to sleep," Sonny shrugged, peeking through the blinds to watch the snow falling. "They're all like that, Iz." 

She yawned as he continued to look out the window, resting her head back on the pillows against the headboard. "Damn, you can't see a thing out there," Sonny said, pulling the curtains closed. "I feel bad for anyone that has to be out there in this." 

"I feel bad for a ll the stray animals," Isabella pouted, as he climbed into bed next to her. "I know there was a feral cat somewhere around here, who had at least three kittens with her. I hope she got them somewhere warm and safe." 

"I'm sure she did," Sonny shrugged. "Maybe she snuck them into the shed out back, considerin' that's where she gave birth to 'em." 

Isabella nodded, "If... if you find them and they're not alive, please don't tell me," she begged. "I rather go on pretending that she and the babies were taken in by a nice old lady, instead of freezing to death." 

Seeing that she was about to cry, Sonny moved to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "I won't," he promised, as Harry made his way into their bedroom. "Look, here's a fur-baby to cuddle with. Right Harry, ya ol' boy!" 

Meowing, the cat jumped up onto the bed, stalking through the blankets to get to Isabella; planting himself right against her side. "Where's everyone else?" Isabella asked, as Harry licked her hand. "Did one of the girls kick you out?" 

"Nah, this guy can't stand to be away from his Mommy," Sonny teased, giving the cat a scratch behind the ears. "He may start the night in one of their beds, but he always finds his way back to ya." 

Meowing again, Harry curled up and promptly fell asleep. "He's got the right idea," Isabella yawned, as she pet the cat. 

"Let's go back to bed then," Sonny nodded, leaning over to give her a kiss. "I've got a driveway and walkway to shovel tomorrow, so I need as much sleep as I can get." 

 


	80. Fifteen Years

It had been a record-breaking hot summer, the year of Sonny and Isabella's fifteenth wedding anniversary. Between two black outs between June and August, along with one major hurricane, Isabella was praying for Fall to make it's rapid approach. But, by the twentieth of September, it was still ninety degrees outside. Fifteen years ago, on that day, it was a breezy day; the autumn foliage had been in the process of appearing, especially around the church on Staten Island. 

After a half hour service, the newlywed couple made their way back up the aisle and onto a journey, which spanned fifteen years of marriage, five kids and a diverse group of individuals that they called family. 

"Iz had me put the sprinkler together for her and the kids to run around through," Sonny chuckled, as he sipped from his beer. "The house is already decked out with pumpkins and fall critters, but she's itchin' to wear her sweaters and boots.." 

"Ah, in a few more weeks," Teresa's husband, Todd, said. "Tre's been on my ass about wantin' to go to somewhere cold! I don't know where she expects me to take her, since the entire country's in a heatwave!" 

There was a loud squeal, as two blonde children ran off into the yard; Ellie and Theo, chasing one another, like two headless chickens. Sonny snorted, as Ellie threw a water balloon at her five year old brother. 

"NO ELLIE!" Theo shouted, as the six year old cackled. "MOMMMMY!!!" 

From the patio, Isabella made her way onto the lawn, her green sundress billowing around her knees. "Eleanora Jane Carisi!" she called out, making her way across the backyard. "What did you do to your brother?" 

Near the shade, Carina barely looked up from her book, as she lounged in the hammock; at fourteen, she had no interest in dealing with her younger siblings, given that her mind was more occupied with her academics. Hence, why she packed her overnight bag with all her textbooks and notebooks, since they were spending the weekend in Staten Island. 

 _It's not like you and Mom are gonna pay that much attention to us,_ she said to Sonny, the night before they left the house.  _I mean, it's your anniversary anyways. Aren't you guys like.. going to go and do gross romantic stuff?"_

On the patio, Evelina was busy eating, while Siena sat with Noelle and Angela; her long red hair being weaved into a french braid, by Noelle, as the women talked about how the end of the summer went. 

"Todd! Where's Luca?!" Teresa shouted from the sliding door. 

"I don't know!" Todd shouted back, before shaking his head. "You'd think she'd know where the fuckin' kid is.." 

His sister shrieked again, before Todd went off to find their nine year old son, leaving Sonny to watch Isabella. Carrying Theo in her arms, Isabella walked behind Ellie, leading her back to the patio. 

"Not nice, Ellie," he heard her say, as the six year old scowled. "Where did you even get those water balloons from?" 

As Isabella tended to a moody Theo, Sonny kept his eyes on her; the mass of red curls pulled up into a bun, with a streak of purple running through the front of her head (done on a whim with Evelina, three weeks previously, while Sonny was at work). She still held her summer tan, her freckles covering her shoulders and her nose. 

_I know you want the cooler weather, but I do love this lil' freckles here, Iz._

As if she could sense someone staring at her, Isabella turned her gaze towards Sonny and smiled. Smiling back at her, Sonny made his way across the yard, reaching her in just a few short steps. 

"What do we have here?" he asked, as Theo rested his head against Isabella's shoulder. 

"Ellie's mean to me, Daddy," the boy pouted, as Isabella swayed slightly, from side to side. "She threw a balloon at me." 

Sonny sighed, shaking his head. "That Ellie is a mean one, huh?" he teased, much to his wife's disapproval. "How about, you go and ask Nonno if you can held bread the cutlets?" 

At that, Theo brightened quickly, wiggling in Isabella's arms. "Down, Mommy! I wanna help!" he squealed, much to her amusement. 

"Go on!" she said, setting him down to his feet. "Don't run, Theo!" 

Once he was off, Isabella turned her gaze back to her husband. "What are you up to?" she asked, giving him a curious look. "I saw you talking with Todd over there. I hope you didn't give him permission to do any construction at our house again.." 

"And spend the night, sleeping on the floor in Theo's room again?" Sonny snorted, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I still get a dirty look, every time you look at the basement wall." 

"That's because it's discolored and a piece of plaster is covering a hole," she reminded him, her arms coming up to rest over his shoulders. "That man is not allowed in my house with any power tools." 

Sonny snorted, "So it's  _your_ house?" he teased. 

She shrugged, "Might as well be, since I decorated the entire thing," she said. 

"Hey, I remember having my fair share of paintin' and decoratin' nurseries and for holidays," Sonny reminded her, as she giggled. "It's just as much as my house, as it is yours." 

"I know, I'm just teasing you," Isabella giggled, as he leaned down to kiss her. "Where's the moody child?" 

He sighed, "In her hammock," Sonny said, nodding towards the quietest part of the backyard. "Probably readin' up on how to get herself emancipated at this rate." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "If only she knew the stuff we hand planned for this weekend," she muttered, shaking her head. "She acts as if we're honestly ruining her life. Asking for three days with her and her siblings, to celebrate our wedding anniversary." 

"Well, she thinks we're gonna do gross romantic stuff," Sonny shrugged, as they swayed together in their locked embrace. "You know, since we're "always" doing gross things around the house. Like kissin' and undressin' each other with our eyes." 

"If only she knew what we did last night," Isabella whispered, as Sonny moved his hands up and down her back. "Or early this morning, before we got them up for breakfast." 

Before he could respond, Teresa and Gina came out of the house, bringing out some food for their guests. Automatically, Siena and Evelina were up and rushing to the table, eyeing all the food up; their eyes always bigger than their bellies, as Isabella would say. 

"Mommmmmyyy, I want to eat!" Ellie whined, as she made her way over to them; tugging lightly on Isabella's dress. Pulling apart, Sonny reached down and scooped her up into his arms, pressing a kiss against her cheek. 

"Think Nonna's meatballs are done?" he asked, as the little girl giggled. 

She nodded, "Baby meatballs, Daddy," she corrected him. "Nonna made me baby meatballs, cuz I'm still a baby!" 

Isabella snorted, as she went off to stop Evelina and Siena from pulling a tray of pasta salad onto them. "Get Carina," she said, looking back over her shoulder at him. "And if she doesn't get her butt out of that hammock, I'll take her books and lock 'em up for the weekend." 

"Oh boy," Sonny whistled, looking at Ellie. "Let's get your sister and then we'll eat some baby meatballs." 

...............

Dinner had been a wonderful event, as everyone talked freely amongst one another and together; the plates and bowls being passed around, as the dishes were loaded with a home-cooked meal. Afterwards, the kids were let loose on the yard, while the adults sat on the patio; conversing and keeping one eye on them. 

"So, what are your plans for the weekend?" Gina asked, turning to the couple. "Are you two really stayin' here for the weekend?" 

"Yeah," Sonny nodded, as Isabella leaned into him. "We're gonna take the kids to the zoo tomorrow." 

Isabella nodded, "And we're probably gonna head to the children's museum or to the park," she added. "Or maybe spend a day at home with Mom and Dad, teaching the kids how to cook or something." 

"But..what about  _you_ guys?" Teresa asked, frowning. "I mean, it's ya anniversary! Aren't ya goin' to do anything romantic?" 

The couple looked at each other, "Well, we do romantic stuff all the time," Isabella shrugged, as Sonny nodded in agreement. "We did something last year and the year before that, without the kids around." 

"This year, we wanted to be a lil' different is all," Sonny shrugged. "They're gettin' older, ya know? Carina's all about school, while Evelina and Siena are havin' sleepovers at their friends houses." 

"But Ellie and Theo are still young..."Dominick shrugged.

"We're totally fine with spending our anniversary here, with the kids," Isabella said. "Seriously. I'm sure Sonny and I will do something romantic on his day off this Thursday. I'm taking a personal day, since I got all my work caught up before school started for this month." 

Angela smiled, "I think it's great that you guys are here!" she said, looking at the others. "How they spend their anniversary is their business! It's hard enough, gettin' everyone here to begin with!" 

Her husband chuckled, as Sonny raised his beer towards her. "I already got the requests for what to make this weekend," he shook his head. "Those kids run high demands, Sonny. Braciole, homemade calzone's, bresaola..." 

"Ahh, I raised 'em well," Sonny grinned. "You saw how Theo ate that salami, Pop! You should see the ziti Carina makes! And Lina's got stuffed peppa's down to an art form, while Siena's got Iz's tiramisu recipe engraved in her memory." 

"Sonny's trying to get Ellie to make a perfect cappuccino," Isabella shook her head. "I've told him several times, that she's not allowed near the espresso machine, given that she's only six years old. Nor should she be drinking cappuccino at that age." 

Sonny snorted, "This, coming from the coffee queen herself," he teased. "At least Theo's showin' interest in cookin' now." 

"Well, it's all you guys do," Noelle shrugged. "Every time I call the house. "Maman, I'm cooking!" or "Frenchie, I just made the best bolognese! Do you like bolognese? Ah, you're love my recipe!" Even when we come over, one of you is always at the stove, cooking!" 

They shrugged, "The kids like to eat," Isabella said. 

"And, it's nice to come home and be able to make food for my family," Sonny said. "Especially after a rough day. To be able to turn on some music, have the kids at the table helpin' and Iz here yellin' at one of them for eating the shredded cheese or at me for makin' a mess." 

He turned to look down at her. "I've been one lucky guy, these last fifteen years," he mused, which made her smile. "Very lucky." 

...........

After coffee and desserts, Sonny and Isabella saw their in-laws off; her parents back to Long Island and his sisters back to their homes a few blocks away. Sonny bathed Ellie and Theo, while Evelina and Siena managed to sneak a few extra cookies, before being sent upstairs to bed. 

"No more sweets," Isabella warned, following them into Gina's old bedroom. "Get your pj's on and I want you two brushing your teeth and in bed, before I come back in here." 

Helping dress Ellie and Theo, Isabella and Sonny carried them into Teresa's old bedroom, tucking them into the queen size bed together. "Go to sleep, you two," Sonny said, as they dozed off. "I'll make ya's breakfast tomorrow." 

"I think Carina's downstairs on the couch," Isabella said, as they stepped into the hallway. "Do you want me to go get her?" 

"Nah, I'll bring her up," Sonny said. "Just get Bella's bed ready for her?" 

Going their separate ways, Sonny went downstairs to find Carina out cold on the couch; her book on the floor face down. Sighing, Sonny picked up the book and placed it on the coffee table, before scooping the fourteen year old up into his arms. 

"Hmmm?" she groaned, as Sonny shifted her. "Dad?" 

"Shhh, go back to sleep," Sonny whispered, as he started for the stairs. "Mommy's gonna get ya in your pj's." 

Nodding, Carina wrapped her arms around his neck, tucking her face into his shoulder. As soon as he set her down on the bed in Bella's room, Isabella quickly got her changed into a night gown and shorts, while Sonny went to check on Evelina and Siena. Tucking the teenager under the blankets, Isabella turned off the lamp and made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her. Together, she and Sonny helped clean up the kitchen and the patio table, while Angela put away the leftovers in the fridge. 

"Ah, just let the pots and pans soak in the water," she said, as Sonny went to grab a sponge. "I got the dishwasher runnin' and I just need the garbage to go out." 

"Ya sure, Ma?" Sonny asked. 

She nodded, "It's still early," she said, shrugging. "You and Iz should have some quiet time, considering it's your anniversary." 

Nodding, Sonny gave his mother a kiss, before taking the garbage out. When he came back inside, locking the door behind him, Sonny found himself alone. The door to his parent's bedroom, which was down the hall from the kitchen, had been shut. The lights were off in the kitchen, save for the one above the stove; Isabella nowhere in sight. Locking the sliding door, Sonny made his way upstairs and down the hall to his old bedroom. The shower was running in the bathroom when he stepped in, closing the door behind him. 

Quietly, as he stripped from his clothes, Sonny stepped into the bathroom and over to the tub, pushing the curtain back. Isabella turned around quickly, smiling when she saw him. 

"I was wonderin' where you went," Sonny teased, as he stepped in behind her. "Thought you ran off on me." 

"And leave you with five kids?" she teased, wrapping her arms around him. "No way. You wouldn't survive a minute without me around." 

He nodded, "That's true," he said quietly, reaching up to push a wet strand of hair from her forehead. "Did I tell ya that I like the purple? "

She shook her head, "I think you were more upset that I did it," she admitted. "You're not one for change, Sonny. Remember when I cut my hair, the month after Theo was born?" 

"It took a while to get used to!" he said, as she giggled. "I'm used to ya havin' long hair, Iz." 

"Ah well, as much as I liked having shorter hair for the summer, it was a pain in the ass to manage," Isabella sighed, tracing her finger tips along his biceps. 

"I like the purple," Sonny said. "Makes ya look like you've got a secret." 

Isabella's raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?" she asked, as he nodded. "What kinda secret do I have, Sonny?" 

He leaned his head down, his lips hovering over hers. "How about I show ya instead?" he whispered, carefully lifting her up so that her legs went around his waist. "Hm?" 

"Better get to it, Sonny," Isabella gasped, as he gently pressed her against the shower wall. "I'm really curious to see what it's all about.." 

..................

Later in bed, their skin damp with sweat and their limbs tangled, Sonny rolled onto his side to face Isabella. 

"I love you," he said, as she ran her fingers along his arm, which was settled along her waist. 

Isabella turned her head to look at him, smiling in the dim glow from the light outside. "I love you too," she said quietly. "Happy?" 

"With you? Always," Sonny grinned. "Fifteen years, Iz. Can you believe it?" 

She shook her head, "Seventeen, if we add the two years we dated," she giggled. "It went so fast, Sonny. Carina's almost as old as our marriage." 

He nodded, "Our youngest is in kindergarten," he mused. "I'm almost fifty." 

"A very sexy fifty year old you'll be," Isabella nearly purred, as she shifted closer to him. "You still look just as handsome now, if not more, than when I married you." 

"Are you sayin' I wasn't handsome on our weddin' day?" Sonny teased, making her laugh. 

"You've always been handsome, Sonny," Isabella said. "I'm just so lucky that I have you." 

Sonny propped himself on his elbow, leaning over her; his lips pressing against hers, as he moved his other arm came up on her side, his hand running through her hair. "My beautiful bride," he whispered against her lips, before pressing his against them again.  _"La mia bellissima Isabella"_

Isabella draped her leg over his hip, her hands moving across his back and threading into his hair. "Make love to me," she whispered, when they pulled apart. 

"Always," he promised, pressing kisses against her cheek and her nose. "Happy Anniversary, Iz." 

She smiled up at him, her air-dried curls fanning the pillow under her head. "Happy Anniversary, Sonny." 

 

 


	81. little honeymoons

Sonny had been very lucky to witness such beauty in his life, in all his thirty-two years of living. But nothing,  _nothing,_ compared to the sight of his wife, walking through the fields of wildflowers in Tuscany on their honeymoon. After spending several days traveling between Rome and Naples, they were spending a long weekend in Tuscany, before heading to Venice before heading back to Rome for their flight back to New York.

It was a hot day in the hills of Tuscany, as they spent their day wine tasting and enjoying the company of the natives and other tourists at the villa turned bed and breakfast. Wearing a floral printed sundress, Isabella wore a straw hat upon her head and sunglasses, as she walked ahead of Sonny; her arms out at her sides, as her fingers lightly brushed against the flower buds.

It had been a wonderful first week in Italy, as they explored; parks, museums, shops and restaurants. Sonny had already burned through three photo chips, out of the twelve he had packed. Their phones were no better, as they took pictures of everything around them. If they weren't out and about, they were spending their time in bed together; celebrating the sole fact that they were newlyweds and honeymooning in a foreign country together.  

When they left Naples and arrived in Tuscany, Sonny went almost everywhere with a camera. Between the views from their terrace, to the grounds they walked on, Isabella was stunning in every shot. It didn't matter if she had just rolled out of bed, ready to enjoy her breakfast in the rising sun, or posing for a photograph. 

_Sonnnnnyyy! How many more pictures can you possibly take of me? I probably look the same in each one!_

_There's not such thing as "too many", babe. You're gorgeous and I gotta capture every single moment of you in this light._

That afternoon, after spending the morning in their room and in bed, they finally dressed and made their way outside to enjoy the day.It was a walk in the field of flowers to enjoy a picnic for two, that would be one for the books. 

"Here!" Isabella squealed, stopping in a little open space. "This is perfect! We can see the villa from here, along with the hills!" 

"Very nice," Sonny mused, looking around at their surroundings. "Well, let's get to it! You've been very patient so far, taking this long walk without havin' a thing to eat!" 

Giggling, they shook out a blanket onto the ground, before settling down across from each other. With a whicker basket between them, on loan from the landlady, they unloaded their feast; cheeses, breads, a mix of fruits and dried meats. A bottle of red wine, along with some water, were joined by two wine glasses. 

"Antonia out did herself!" Sonny whistled, as Isabella took out two plates. "Man, she must really love us or somethin'." 

"She loves you," Isabella teased. "For an American, you speak perfect Italian. And you speak so fluently, that you make all the old Italian grannies swoon." 

Sonny rolled his eyes, as he opened the bottle of wine. "Apparently, they're not the only ones swoonin', when I whisper a lil' Italiano in their ear..." 

Isabella blushed, as she plucked a grape from its stem, making Sonny snicker. "Instead of swoonin', I turn you into a whimperin' mess," he continued, pouring wine into the two glasses. 

"Must you?" she whined, taking the offered wine glass from him. "It's bade enough that the bitch from downstairs, keeps giving us dirty looks. It's not my fault, her fossil of a husband doesn't lay it into her every night." 

"And you say I have a foul mouth," Sonny snorted, as she took a sip. "Ah, we'll be out of here soon. At least our place in Venice will have the street life outside. Here, it's so open and quiet, that the noise travels so far. I bet ya ten bucks, they heard me takin' a piss this mornin'.." 

She plucked a piece of cheese from the plate. "Next time we come to Tuscany, we should rent an entire villa to ourselves," she mused. "Just you and Me. We leave the kids at home with our parents, and spend two weeks in a little Italian love shack." 

He raised his glass to that, "Or, if they're older, we can always bring 'em," he shrugged. "Make 'em sleep outside in a tent or somethin'." 

"And be detained in an Italian prison, being charged with child neglect or something ridiculous?" Isabella snorted. "No thank you." 

"Hey, kids here get hit with wooden spoons on a daily basis," Sonny pointed out. "Lettin' 'em sleep in a tent, is not a big deal." 

Crawling across the blanket, Isabella moved so that she was laying between his legs; her head resting back against his torso and chest. "What are ya doin'?" Sonny asked, as she sighed deeply. 

"Feed me," Isabella pouted up at him, which made him snort. "C'mon Sonny! If you feed me, I'll let ya do something really naughty..." 

He watched as she unbuttoned the first button to her dress, exposing the a little bit of the white lace of her bra. "Jesus..." he hissed, making her giggle. "And you think child neglect is gonna get us thrown in the slammer," he muttered. "I'll feed ya, but you better hold up on your end of the bargain, Iz." 

................

Leaving Tuscany for Venice had been hard for the couple, as they realized their honeymoon was coming to an end. However, once they checked into their hotel and stepped out into town, they pushed that nagging through behind them. 

"Hmmm, nothing like a boat ride on a beautiful day," Isabella sighed, as they took the famous gondola ride down Canal Grande, taking sights like the Rialto Bridge and other sites along the water ways. If they weren't on a boat, they were seeing the sites on foot. 

Between St. Mark's Square, and the Basilica di San Marco, they were getting their money's worth in Italian culture. 

"We'll never have to read another book about this country again," Sonny teased, as they stopped for gelato. 

"There's still parts of Italy that we've never been to," Isabella reminded him. "We'll just have to come back some other time..." 

It was a magical week of exploring, celebrating and relaxation; oh which, neither wanted to leave behind. The day before they were supposed to leave for Rome, it rained for most of the day. Isabella pouted and scowled, as she sat near the sliding door that led out to their balcony. 

"Ah, don't be sad," Sonny said, as he sat down beside her. "It'll clear up and we'll go out for one last dinner." 

"But, there was so much I wanted to do before we leave!" Isabella whined. 

He snickered, "I know you wanted to get some shoppin' done, and you will," he promised. "But, until then, we'll just have to find somethin' else to do to kill the time." 

"I'm surprised your dick hasn't fallen off yet," Isabella mused, as they fell back onto the carpeted floor. 

Sonny nuzzled her neck with his nose, "You haven't complained once," he said, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "C'mon, it'll be like...three days before we can do this again!" 

"I'm not complaining, nor am I stopping you from having your way with me," Isabella said. "You just better hope that this will keep me from having a meltdown later, if this rain doesn't stop." 

When the rain did stop, four hours and a nap later, the couple got up and ready for their last night out in Italy. A romantic, candle-lit dinner for two, followed by some light shopping, they went back to their hotel to pack and get ready for bed. 

"Do we really have to go tomorrow?" Isabella asked, as Sonny set their suitcases near the wall. "Can't we just call work and tell them, that we've decided to take on another week?" 

"If I could afford another week, I would," Sonny said, as they climbed into bed. "But, we have responsibilities waitin' for us at home. Along with two fur babies, who are dyin' for us to come and save 'em." 

Isabella grumbled as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Hey," he said gently, as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Just know this, Iz. I'll do my damn best to make everyday just as fun when we're home, as it was here in Italy." 

At that, she smiled. "It always was," she said, as he kissed her forehead. "With you, everyday gets better and better." 

 

 

 


	82. painting

'I don't know how I got suckered into doin' this," Sonny muttered, as Isabella covered Carina's bed with a drop cloth. "I mean, my first three day weekend off in months and I'm paintin' three bedrooms and the hallway..." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, as he ripped a piece of painter's tape from the roll. "Because we never really painted this place, when we first moved it," she reminded him. "Siena was born shortly after we manage to unpack our clothes. In the last seven months, we've been putting off doing anything to the house." 

Sonny grumbled, "White walls are nice..." he offered weakly, earning a scowl from her. 

"Carina and Evelina want their room to be painted," Isabella said firmly, as the blue tape lined the windows. "And, I want our bedroom to be painted, so that it feels like home. If I have to look at white walls any longer, I'll go crazy." 

"Well, you better not ditch me halfway through this," Sonny warned, as another tarp went down on the carpet. "Otherwise, I'll leave a wall half painted and you can forget the rest." 

Together, they managed to move the two twin beds together and into the middle of the room, before pushing the dressers and bookcases away from the walls. With tarp being placed down and painter's tape along the baseboards, Sonny opened the two cans of paint. It was a long and hard battle to pick out colors for Carina and Evelina's room, given the age difference between the two girls; four and a half and two. Carina wanted purple, while Evelina wanted green. 

Before the sisters could draw blood, screeching the two colors back and forth at the dinner table, Sonny finally put an end to it with a compromise. A room that was a neutral color, picked by both himself and Isabella, followed by new comforters for their beds. Isabella wasn't too keen on the idea, but with two satisfied children, she couldn't say no. 

"So, we'll paint the entire room this... brown color," Sonny said, opening one of the cans. 

Isabella sighed, "It's a mauvey-taupe color, " she corrected him. "It was the only shade that matched the solid purple and green comforters you bought them..." 

"Well, it's cute," Sonny shrugged. "I'll paint the window stills with the white paint..." 

"We could always just paint the walls and window stills, and put their old blankets back on the beds," she offered, which made him scoff. "Sonny, they're four and two. Eventually, they're gonna get tired of purple and green. Then, we'll have to repaint the rooms again and I don't want to buy new comforters to match whatever colors they pick!" 

"Iz, I don't plan on movin' out of this house, until it's just you and me," he said. "They wanted purple and green, so I'm gonna give 'em purple and green. Let 'em have the colors they want. When they're older and ready to live on their own, they can paint their rooms whatever color they want. And when they start workin' and makin' their own money, they can buy themselves new bed sets.." 

"You just can't say "no" to the two of them," Isabella said, grabbing an empty paint tray. "They cry and bat their eyelashes at you and you're saying yes to everything and anything they want." 

He snorted, "Reminds me of someone I know," he said, grabbing the other paint tray. "Look, when it's all done and we move the furniture around again, it'll look great! Then you and Frenchie can get those cute wall things you were lookin' at online the other day...." 

 It took three hours to paint the entire room, before Sonny left the windows open and the ceiling fan on. "Let's take a break, make some lunch and I'll line the windows and baseboards in Siena's room..." Sonny said, as they made their way downstairs. "Did you want to paint everythin' today? I mean, Ma says she can keep the girls for a coupla days. They've got enough clothes at the house and Ma does laundry every day.." 

"Well, I'd like to get their rooms done," Isabella said, washing her hands in the kitchen sink. "The hallway and our room, we can do tomorrow. The hallway shouldn't take that long, considering the walls aren't as high as they are in the bedrooms.." 

"Alright," Sonny nodded. "Thank god for the air mattress in that spare room."

Taking out the tupperware of leftovers, Sonny set it on the counter, before grabbing dishes out of the cabinet. Warming up the chicken parmesan, they both went to the table and sat down, ready to eat after working so hard. 

"So, am I doing Siena's walls pink?" Sonny asked. 

She nodded, "Then what's the gold for?" he asked, as she sipped from her water. "The window stills?" 

"The trim around the closet," she said, setting her glass down. "Maman got some really cute pieces at an craft fair in the Spring, which will go nicely with the pale pink. And, I'm going to make some things to hang up on the walls.." 

"Well, when I finish paintin' her room, I want you to start clearing some of the shit outta our room, so I can put the tape down," he said. "I can't believe you let  _me_ pick the color for our room and  _agreed_ to it." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "We  _both_ agreed on having a calm and cozy bedroom, Sonny," she pointed out. "Dark grey and white..." 

"I can still change my mind, Sonny," Isabella warned, as she twirled her spaghetti onto the fork. 

.............

With two out of the three bedrooms painted and drying, Isabella and Sonny laid the endless blue painters tape along the windows and baseboards of their bedroom. Moving the furniture off the walls and covering them with sheets, they called it a night, with plans to wake early the next day to continue their work. 

And that they did, waking up at eight to get a head start; the hallway was first, being that it was a short job. The walls went from scuffed up and faded, to a mossy green that matched the wooden baseboards. 

"Those'll need to be sanded down and stained," Sonny sighed, as Isabella cleaned up the paint tray and brushes off the floor. "But, it does look good.." 

Taking a short brake to eat and call the girls, they finally tackled their bedroom. With their room being mostly hardwood flooring, they didn't have to worry too much about staining a carpet. With tarps down, they both worked on one side of the room, before meeting at the wall between the two windows where their bed usually rested. 

"We could aways get shelves or somethin' for the walls," Sonny pointed out, setting the painting tray down between them. "Hang up some pictures and I know you're gonna raid some craft store, to get some cutesy shit for the house..." 

"It's just so.. _bare,"_ Isabella sighed, looking around the the half-painted room; the wet dark-grey walls looking perfect, as they dried. "I want our house to feel like  _ours,_ Sonny. This is gonna be our home for a long, long time. We didn't have the time to really do anything to it when we moved in, except set up our bedrooms and the nursery. Now that Siena's not a newborn, we can afford to send her to your parents or mine for a long weekend."

He dipped the roller into the tray, before moving it to the wall; a dark grey streak going from the middle of the wall, halfway to the top. "I want a wall, somewhere in the house, with all the pictures," he said. "From the two of us, to the kids. Our parents and my sisters and their kids. Even the squad..." 

Isabella looked over at him, as he painted. "I just want a place that we can show everyone, who comes into this house, that we have a big family," he shrugged. "The rest you can do whatever ya want with, because I know at the end of the day, not matta what I say, you're gonna do it the way ya want.." 

"But it shouldn't have to be that way," Isabella frowned. "This is your house, just as much as it's mine. It's in both our names, you know. If the style doesn't make sense, who cares? If you want to hang up Mets memorabilia in the living room, do it. I don't care, Sonny. Before we moved in together, you had your way of living. I liked that old apartment you lived in, because it was all _you._ " 

"You liked all that stuff I had, lyin' about?" Sonny asked, as she nodded. "All the Mets posters and shit?" 

Isabella smiled at him, "It was all you, Sonny," she repeated. "I had artwork on my walls, and a few family photos. My apartment was girly, compared to yours. When we moved in together, I felt like you let me decorate our first place together, based on what I liked. Now, we're married and we have three children together. This is our first house. I want it to be a reflection of us both, along with the wear and tear of three children.." 

"Well, Evelina's turnin' out to be more of a tomboy these days.." he mused. "Maybe, I can hang up some Mets posters on her side of the room when she's a bit older.." 

"We can decorate the rooms,  _together,"_ Isabella said, as she knelt down on the floor. "Now, let's finishing painting this wall, so we can clean up and head downstairs to relax. We have to get the kids tomorrow afternoon, before they destroy your parent's house." 

.....................

"Alright, let's take a look," Sonny said, as he held Evelina against his hip. "Ya ready?" 

Evelina squealed, clapping her hands together. "Rehhhdeee!" she nodded, as Sonny pushed the bedroom door open. 

Stepping into the room, Evelina gasped, as did Carina. "Daddy! It's pretty!" Carina squealed, as she rushed towards her bed. "My new blankie!" 

"What do ya think, Lina?" Sonny asked, coming to a stand-still in the middle of the room. "Do ya like?" 

Evelina nodded, as Carina climbed up onto her bed. "We'll have to get some stuff for the walls," Isabella said, as she held Siena in her arms. "But, for now..." 

"You got green and purple here in your beds," Sonny finished, as Evelina hugged him. "We'll leave the windows open until bedtime, since it's still a lil' smelly in here." 

"Can we see Siena's room?" Carina asked, jumping up and down on her bed. "And your room?" 

Nodding, Sonny winced as she jumped off the bed, rushing out into the hallway. "MOMMY! THE WALLS ARE GREEN!" she shouted, as they followed after her. "Wowwwww! I love it!" 

Seeing Siena's room, Isabella pointed to the pale pink walls, while the baby just drooled and giggled. "Once Mommy and Grandma put up your decorations, it'll look so pretty!" she gasped, kissing Siena on the cheek. "

Already bored with the pink walls, Carina demanded to see Sonny and Isabella's room. "I wanna see it!" she said, frowning at Sonny. "Now, Daddy! Now!" 

"Is that how we ask for things?" Sonny asked, as they stood outside the master bedroom. "I don't know who ya talkin' to, Carina.." 

"Can I please see your room?" Carina asked, sighing dramatically. 

Isabella giggled, "You can," she said, nodding to Sonny. "But, you need to be a bit more patient and nicer, when you ask for things. Nonna told me that you were being a fresh girl at her house, which is not nice." 

Opening the bedroom door, Sonny stepped into the room, moving aside so Carina could rush in. "WOW!" she shouted, her little jaw dropping in shock. "Daddy! Mommy! It's so dark!" 

With dark grey walls and pristine white window stills and baseboards, the bed and been dressed with new sheets and a new comforter set. A few pictures had been hung up on the wall, while the rest had been placed in a box for later. 

"Well, Daddy wanted this color and Mommy said yes to it," Sonny said, as Carina went over to the bed. "There's still a lot more work we gotta do though, Carina. Mommy's gonna take you to the store next weekend, with Grandma, to pick out some stuff." 

"And in the summer," Isabella continued. "We're gonna paint downstairs; the living room, the kitchen, the hallways." 

Carina looked over at them, "The room downstairs?" she asked. "The tiny one that Daddy wants to make his 'puter room?" 

Sonny snickered, "Yeah, the lil' study we're gonna put together," he nodded. "That's gonna be Mommy and Daddy's work room, though." 

"Can I help paint?" Carina asked. "I'm the bestest painter in my class! I wanna paint the lil' room and pick out pictures for it!" 

"We'll see," Sonny chuckled. "For now though, we're gonna unpack ya backpacks and make somethin' for dinner. Then, it's baths and tonight, you guys can watch a movie before bed. In ya beds!" 

Squealing, Carina rushed forward to wrap her arms around his legs. "Thank you, Daddy!" she squealed, as he chuckled. 

"How about you three head downstairs?" Isabella asked, as Siena began to fuss. "I think Siena just pooped, so I need to change her." 

Nodding, Carina rushed out into the hallway, as Sonny and Evelina followed behind. "Don't take too long," Sonny teased, kissing her quickly. "I got a feeelin' that the topic of conversation, is gonna be about home design." 

She snickered, "The horror," she teased, as Sonny gave Siena a quick kiss on the cheek. "Go. Before she slides down the staircase." 

"Carina Rose! You stop right there, lil' miss!" Sonny warned, as he stepped into the hallway. "If you fall down those stairs, I don't wanna hear you cryin'!

"Come on, you," Isabella sighed, shifting the infant in her arms. "Let's clean ya up and talk about where we're gonna put all your toys." 

 


	83. morning routines.

When Sonny and Isabella spent the first night together, very early on in their relationship, their nightly routines were almost similar; despite the late hours that Sonny pulled, they both were night owls, who could stay up until the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains. 

However, their morning routines were so, so, different. 

Isabella had a set schedule, September to June, being a teacher at an elementary school. School started at eight in the morning, but living in Manhattan and working in Astoria, Queens, meant that her day started before the sun came up. The first alarm was set at five, and the rest followed in twenty minute intervals. By six, she was up and in the shower, while the coffee machine came to life, providing a much needed kick-start to her day. Dressed and with her hair dried and makeup on, Isabella was eating breakfast by six-thirty; waffles and coffee being consumed, as she repacked her work bag and threw together something for lunch. By seven, she was on the subway, making her way into Astoria to be in her class by seven-thirty, preparing for the first students that came in. 

Sonny on the other hand, worked all kinds of hours. There was no set schedule for him, being a detective. It wasn't a nine to five job, as overtime was easily obtainable on a daily basis. If he stayed past his time, Liv would always tell him to come in a bit later the next day. 

 _"Unless, I call you of course,"_ she'd always say. And she was good at keeping her word, for the most part. 

So, when he spent the night at Isabella's apartment for the first time, it was a Sunday night going into Monday. With Sonny scheduled to work an overnight, Isabella had to work her normal hours. The blaring of the first alarm, made him jump in surprise. 

"Nnnnnnnooooo," Isabella groaned, from under her blankets. 

Hitting the snooze button, Isabella laid quietly in bed, as Sonny rolled over to wrap his arm around her. " "time is it?" he yawned, as she scooted closer to him. 

"Early," she mumbled, as he pressed a kiss against her shoulder. "Don't wanna work today." 

He gave her waist a squeeze, "Call out," he suggested. "Stay in bed with me. I'll make ya breakfast." 

Isabella gave him a pitiful whine, "I can't," she said, pouting in the dark. "Got rent to pay next week." 

They fell silent, until the next alarm went off, which she quickly hit snooze on. "Go get ready," Sonny said, giving her waist a squeeze, as he started to get up. "I'll make ya breakfast and start a pot of coffee." 

  
"But you should sleep," Isabella said, watching as he got up. "You have the entire morning to sleep in, since you're working overnight." 

"Yeah, but I feel bad just sleeping int his warm bed, while you're gettin' all dolled up for ya kids," he said, giving her a sleepy smile. "I gotta get my girl ready for her day, after all." 

Isabella felt her heart swoon as she watched him shuffle out of her bedroom, his hair sticking up in all directions and his pajamas rumpled up. Slowly, Isabella climbed out of bed and made her way into her bathroom, starting the process of getting the shower as hot as possible. Wishing she had the balls to call out, Isabella showered and dried off quickly, before heading back into her bedroom to dress for the day. Drying her hair and applying a little bit of makeup, she made her way into the kitchen, to find Sonny at the stove. 

"Wow," she whistled, as he looked over his shoulder at her. "How can you even  _function_ this well to make  _anything_ at six in the morning?" 

"Ah, I love to cook," Sonny shrugged, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Just like second nature to me, really. I mean, I come home after a long day of work, dead on my feet and I can make a whole meal for myself. So, this isn't any different." 

"You are...." Isabella shook her head. "Too amazing for words, Sonny." 

As he cooked, Isabella checked her bag to make sure her things were inside; her grade book, planner, graded assignments and laptop. "Will you still be here when I get home?" she asked, as Sonny set her dish on the table. "I'm leaving at three today, so I should be home by a quarter to four." 

Sonny shrugged, "I might be runnin' out the door, while you're runnin' in," he admitted, looking upset at the thought. "Our overnight shifts, are very different from an average overnight shift."

"Well, if you're too tired to head back home to your place, you're more than welcome to crash here," Isabella shrugged, sitting down at the table. "You've left clothes here that I can wash when I get home.." 

Setting a cup of coffee down before her, Sonny set his own dish down on the table. "You just want me around to make ya breakfast every mornin'," he teased, sitting down across from her. 

They had been dating for six months at that point, having exchanged apartment keys and spending nights and long weekends at each other's apartments. She had just met his family a few weeks previously, while next weekend Sonny would be meeting hers. It was as serious as a serious relationship could get, despite being relatively new. They were crazy about each other, never going more than a few hours without talking to each other. 

"Alright, bundle up, buttacup," Sonny teased, as Isabella slipped into her jacket. "Now, I made ya lunch last night while you were snoozin' on the couch. Chicken parm and a salad, since you barely had anythin' in that thing you call a fridge. So, since you have off on Friday like me, I'm takin' ya food shoppin' and I'm cookin'." 

"You're so sweet," she teased, standing on her toes to kiss him. "A househusband in training." 

He snorted, "Might as well start now," he teased back. "Though, I don't foresee you havin' anythin' to complain about.."

Giving him another kiss, Isabella shoulder her work bag and took the travel mug from him. "Call me when you get there," Sonny said, as she went to the door. "I'll do my best to sneak in here quietly when I get outta work."

"Kay," Isabella nodded, stealing another kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too" Sonny said, smiling against her lips. "Have a good day at work." 

As she stood in the subway car, waiting for the next stop to get off, Isabella smiled to herself. If every early morning started off as that one did, it would be worth it. 

................

Sonny was good at getting up at all hours of the day. Early mornings, mid-afternoons and late at night. Didn't matter if he was working or off for the day, Sonny was able to get up without an issue. Exhausted? Sure. But he managed. Some mornings he would go for a run, before coming home to shower and make breakfast. Other mornings, if the weather was shitty, he would get up and do laundry. Watch some morning shows, with a cup of coffee, before getting out of the house to catch the subway into Manhattan. Every morning was different, depending on the day of the week and if he the day off or not. Unlike Isabella, he managed one one alarm, two if he was desperate for another five to ten minutes of sleep. But once he showered and had his first cup of coffee, he was ready to start the day. 

One morning, on his day off, Sonny was up at six-thirty in the morning and dressed by seven-fifteen. Of course, he skipped the suit and donned his jeans and a henley, but made sure his hair was styled with the right amount of hair gel. Even though it was Saturday and his day off. Isabella on the other hand, was buried under a mountain of blankets and snoring deeply into her pillow. Sonny made his way back into their bedroom, chuckling. His wife was a pro-champion at sleeping, especially when it came to the weekends. 

"Babe.." Sonny whispered, shaking her shoulder lightly. "Honey." 

"There better be a fire," he heard her mumble, as he pulled the blankets down to look at her; her hair a frizzy halo on the pillow and her eyes glued shut with sleep. 

He laughed, "I'm goin' to the market to get some groceries," he said. "Ya want anythin'?" 

Isabella sighed,"Sleep," she mumbled, as he pushed her hair away from her face. " Time is it?" 

"Almost seven thirty," he replied, watching as her face twisted up in disgust. "Hey, we got a big day today, Iz. Laundry, doctor appointment at one and gettin' a baby registry together." 

"But.. why are you going out now?" she pouted, one eye cracking open to look at him. "Please get back in bed. Cuddle me. Rub my belly." 

Sonny suppressed an eye roll, "Because we are low on everythin'," he said. "How can I feed you and our baby, when we have nothin'? I can't feed ya coffee beans, ya know." 

She whined again, "I'll be gone an hour," he promised. "I'll even stop to get you somethin' greasy and heavily frowned upon by the doc." 

"Bagels," Isabella mumbled. 

"A salt bagel with extra, extra cream cheese," Sonny said, as Isabella shook her head. 

"No.. get a dozen," she corrected him. "And I want a bacon, egg and cheese on a roll. With hash browns." 

Sonny nodded slowly, "Ya gonna eat twelve bagels, a sandwich and hash browns?" he asked, as Isabella shifted onto her side. "That's impressive, Iz." 

His wife nearly growled with annoyance, "Alright, alright," Sonny snickered, leaning down to give her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll get some groceries and your bagels and sandwich." 

"Don't expect me to be awake when you get back," she mumbled, as he tucked the blankets back up to her chin. "I'm  _resting,_ Sonny. Growing babies is hard work. 

"God, you're only five months in and already cranky as hell," Sonny shook his head, as he got up. "I can only imagine what you're gonna be like, when you're closer to ya due date." 

When he came home, brandishing a weeks worth of groceries and breakfast, Isabella finally left her cave. "You did your hair at the ass crack of dawn, just to buy food?" she asked, frowning. 

He shrugged, putting away boxes of pasta and bags of chips into the cabinets. "I don't like steppin' out with my hair undone," he reasoned, as she ate her egg sandwich. "Makes me feel naked, ya know?" 

"Ugh, the idea of getting dolled up this early, is making me sick," Isabella mumbled, as she ate. 

"Don't worry," Sonny said, as he put the shopping totes together. "After this, you can go back to bed for a little while. I wouldn't want to come between you and your love affair with our bed..." 

..................

"Girls! If you don't hurry up, you're going to be late! AGAIN!" Isabella shouted, as she finished packing up four lunch boxes. "Sonny!" 

Sonny, dressed for another day of work, came rushing into the kitchen, strapping his watch to his wrist. "They're almost ready," he promised, giving her a quick kiss. 

"You still have to drop Ellie off at daycare!" she reminded him, zipping Carina's lunch box shut. "Which means, you're going to be late. And Liv is going to be pissed off, because it's gonna be the third day in a row this week!" 

It was a common occurrence in the Carisi household; Carina was the easiest to get up in the mornings, having adopted her love for mornings from Sonny. Evelina, Siena and Ellie were all Isabella; sleeping through the wakeup calls, which including Sonny or Isabella shouting, pulling blankets off and turning the lights on. Theo, was a mix between the two, being only a year and a half old. But, he had no where to be, so it didn't matter much on a typical weekday. Put him in the highchair or the playpen, and he was one happy boy, until it was time for him to go to daycare with Ellie. 

They were lucky to get any breakfast on the table, let alone a granola bar. It had been much easier when the girls were younger. But then Ellie was born, followed by Theo, and the routines went out the window. Getting five kids up and ready for school, while you had to get ready for work and pack book bags, lunch boxes and work bags, wasn't easy. 

"GIRLS! LETS GO!" Sonny shouted. 

The pounding of footsteps on the stairs made Theo wail, as he sat in his highchair. "I know, kiddo. I know," Sonny said, tickling under his chin. "At least ya get to stay home with Momma today. The perks of bein' sick, huh? " 

Four girls, dressed in a wild variety of color and patterns, came rushing into the kitchen. "Get your jackets on and ya book bags," Sonny started, as Isabella brought the lunch boxes over to the table. "We're gonna be late!" 

"Now, I want you guys to be good today," Isabella said, as she put a lunch box into Carina, Evelina and Siena's backpacks. "Mommy will come at three-thirty to pick you guys up. Then we'll get Ellie and come home to make dinner." 

"Daddy, are ya gonna be late again?" Evelina asked, as she took her bag from Isabella. 

Sonny pulled his suit jacket on, clipping his badge to his hip. "Well, if I'm late to work, Zia Liv will make me stay late," he said, grabbing Ellie's book bag from the chair. "Alright, give Mommy a kiss and lets go!" 

Giving the girls a kiss, Isabella followed them all to the door, holding onto Sonny's lunchbox. "Be good! Play nice!" she said, as he got them into the car. "And make friends!" 

"Seriously, Iz," Sonny snorted. "They've been friends with the same kids for years already." 

She rolled her eyes, "Be good, play nice," she said, as he chuckled. "Don't get shot and killed, because I'll bring ya back and kill you myself." 

"Wow, you make me feel so loved," Sonny teased, giving her a quick kiss. 

The sound of a car horn honking, followed by the shrieks of the girls, made them groan. "Ya know," Sonny started, as Ellie stood patiently by his side. "I kinda miss the days where we didn't have to rush every morning, to get a bunch of kids to school." 

"Yeah, well," Isabella shrugged. "I miss sharing my bed with just my husband and having spontaneous wake up call sex, but what can ya do? It's not like we can return them, Sonny. All sales were final, the moment you knocked me up." 

"Daddy, we go," Ellie said, tugging on his hand. "Go!"

They both looked down at the two and a half year old, "Alright, let's get ya in the car," Sonny said, picking her up. "Say "bye, bye" to Mommy."

"Bye, bye," Ellie squeaked, waving at her.

"I love you, both," Isabella said, stealing another kiss from the both. "I'll see you later, Ellie belly! GIRLS! I LOVE YOU!"

From the car, the trio of misfits screeched back at her, as Sonny made his way down the front steps and towards the driveway. "Get ya butts buckled! NOW!" he shouted, as they jumped all over the car. "Next time, I'll make ya's take the bus!"

Heading back inside, where Theo waited in his high chair for breakfast, Isabella managed to enjoy the silence. Making herself a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal for the little boy, she took a seat at the table and started feeding him. By nine, her phone was buzzing on the table next to her coffee mug.

"Uh oh," she sighed, picking up the phone. "I bet Daddy got in trouble today from Zia Liv."

Theo babbled, as she opened the text message from Sonny. 

_Five minutes late. Tried to sneak in, but Amanda ratted me out. Liv seems pissed, so I'm probably gonna be late for dinner._

A few seconds later, a text from Liv came through. Opening it, Isabella snorted.

 _He tried and failed,'_ it read. _But don't worry, I'll send him home in time for dinner. Give the girls and Theo my love. Play date this weekend, if Theo is better?"_

"Ah, Theo," Isabella sighed, as she texted both her husband and Olivia back. "Your sisters need to start takin' a school bus. Poor Daddy is getting teased at work because of them."  


	84. permanet craving

"I can't believe I  _let_ you talk me into this," Sonny said, shaking his head. "It's negative death outside, and we just dragged our seven month old out, just so you could get a goddamn smoothie." 

Isabella scowled, as she sipped from the straw. "It's a  _healthy_ smoothie," she reminded him. 

Sonny snorted, "Which, I coulda made for you at home!" he pointed out. "We got a blender when we got married, which hasn't been taken out of the box yet. We have all those fruits at home, which I could've chopped up and blended for ya." 

"Sonny, we've been over this so many times," Isabella started, as Sonny sat back in the chair with a dramatic sigh. "We always run out, in questionable weather, when you want something to eat. Just because I wanted to get a smoothie and actually pay for someone to make it, shouldn't be a big issue." 

"Draggin' our seven month old baby, when it's cold as balls outside, is though," he stressed. "What if she gets sick?" 

They both turned their attention to the baby in question, who sat in the stroller staring at them. Carina let out a squeal, giving them a gummy smile, from the confines of her winter gear. With extra blankets in the stroller, Sonny was ready to pack nearly everything in their apartment for the fifteen minute walk to the local smoothie shop _._  It had been a hot spot during her pregnancy, as she ordered nearly every smoothie on the menu, along with the food. Every time she craved a smoothie, which was every day, Sonny would always stop on the way home to get one. Or two. Or three. Memorizing the store's operating hours, if Sonny had the day off, she had him up and ready to get a smoothie for her at the crack of dawn. 

 _C'mon, Sonny! Our baby wants a Blimey Limey for breakfast!_ she would say, pouting and he threw on some clothes to take the fifteen minute walk. 

"I think she's happy," Isabella said, as Sonny reached out to wipe the drool off Carina's face. "She loves going out with her Mommy and Daddy." 

"You're lucky I find you cute, Iz," Sonny shook his head, pulling the stroller closer to his seat. "Mommy is crazy, Carina. Makin' Daddy drag ya out in this cold weather..." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "We still had to go food shopping," she said. "Especially since we are down to the last six diapers from that box we got, four days ago." 

Taking the baby out of the stroller, Sonny turned her around so that she could see Isabella. "I can't do anythin' about that, Iz," Sonny shrugged. "She poops a lot. That's what babies do.." 

"Yeah, well," Isabella sighed, looking down at her phone. "I guess we can go now, so that we can get home." 

"Finally," Sonny sighed in relief, as he stood up with Carina. "You wanna go back in the stroller? O do you want Daddy to carry you?" 

Putting her phone in her coat pocket, Isabella set her smoothie into the cup holder of the stroller. "If you carry her, wrap a blanket around her and over her head," she instructed.

Doing just that, Sonny made sure that that fleecy blanket was wrapped snugly around Carina's bulky form. "Ready?" he asked, looking down at the chubby face. 

Carina giggled, as Sonny shifted her in his arms. "Alright, let's get movin'," Sonny said, as Isabella turned the stroller around. "The faster we get diapers and food, the faster I can get my lil' girl home and out of the cold." 

...................

Isabella woke to the sound of a god awful grinding noise from her kitchen. Getting out of bed quickly, she made her way out of the bedroom and downstairs, finding two toddlers and an infant at the table eating breakfast. At the counter, Sonny stood before the blender, playing around with the buttons as the grinding changed in range. 

"What are you doing?" Isabella asked, as he looked over at her. "It's..." she glanced at the time on the stove. "A quarter to eight in the morning. On a Saturday no less." 

"Yeah, so?" Sonny asked, shrugging. 

She blinked. "Why are the girls up?" she asked, looking over at them; their hair in tangles and their nightgowns wrinkled from sleep. "Why is their noise in this house, that isn't snoring and the sound of Siena crying through the baby monitor?" 

Turning the blender off, Sonny pulled the blender jar off the base, reaching for the glass next to it. "Iz, it's June," he started, pouring out the purple mixture into the glass. "It's my first day of vacation, you don't have work and the girls aren't in daycare for the summer. Siena woke up with a wet diaper and wantin' a bottle, which in return woke these two up." 

Carina waved at her, her hands sticky with syrup as she ate her french toast sticks. "So, I took 'em to the the bathroom, made 'em breakfast and I..." he picked up the glass and walked over to her, holding it out towards her. "Made ya  this." 

"What.. what is this?" Isabella asked, eyeing the concoction before her. "It's purple." 

"It's a smoothie," Sonny said, chuckling. "Blueberries, strawberries and a banana. Go on.. drink up." 

He then went to the refrigerator to get out the carton of eggs, "You woke up this early, put together the blender and made me a smoothie?" Isabella asked, as he came back to the counter. 

Sonny frowned, "Why wouldn't I?" he asked, moving around their kitchen to get a bowl and whisk. "I mean.. I always make ya breakfast, Iz. Why is this any different?" 

"Mommmmmy, come eats with us!" Carina called out, as Siena squealed in her high chair. 

"There's toast on the table," Sonny said, cracking eggs into a bowl. "I put out butta, jelly and cream cheese, since Carina can never make up her mind." 

Walking up to him, Isabella stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you," she said softly, before walking away, bringing the glass up to her lips. 

Smirking, Sonny watched as she took a seat next to Siena's high chair, taking a long pull from her glass. "Is it good?" he asked, whisking the eggs up. 

"It's  _delicious,"_ Isabella said, licking her lips. "Absolutely delicious." 

 

..........................

"Ah, ah! Mommy doesn't feel good, buddy," Sonny said. "Don't jump on the bed like that." 

Theo squealed around the pacifier in his mouth, as Sonny made him sit on the bed; the one-year old quickly moved to his knees, crawling across the mattress and over to Isabella's side. 

"How did you know?" Isabella asked, as she held the styrofoam cup in her hand. 

"What?" he frowned. "That you couldn't eat anythin' solid? Iz, you barely eat anythin' solid when you're sick. It's either broth or smoothies. There's no in-between for ya. Besides, this is the only craving you had, when you got pregnant with Carina, that just...never went away. What junk food does to the kids, smoothies does for you. At least it's better than coffee.." 

Isabella grumbled as she took a slow sip, "Hmmm, Blueberry Bliss." 

Sonny chuckled, as he pulled Theo onto his lap. "So, the girls are at school," he started, as Theo whined. "Ellie's still asleep in her room and Theo here, managed to charm the hearts of the girls at the shop." 

"Well, he's a splitting image of you," Isabella said, laying her head back against the pillows that were propped against the headboard. "You stole my heart, many, many moons ago." 

"Yeah, yeah," Sonny snorted. "He better slow it down though, Iz. I'm not ready to marry one of 'em off.." 

Letting the boy go, the couple watched as he crawled around on the bed, stopping to look at his parents with a giggle. "Are you working today?" Isabella asked, resting the cup against her blanket clad leg. 

Sonny shook his head, "Nah, I'm takin' a personal day," he said. "I can't leave ya home with two lil' ones, when you can barely keep ya head up." 

"Good, because I'm about ready to bash my head against the wall," Isabella groaned, closing her eyes. "Whatever this thing is, it better go away soon. I can barely sleep at night, because my nose is so stuffed up." 

"Take a nap and later, you can take a hot shower," Sonny said, as Theo tried to grab at the cup. "Ah, no! You can't have that, Theo." 

The boy scowled, "Can you put this in the fridge for me?" Isabella asked, giving the cup a little shake. "I'll finish it later." 

Sonny nodded and took it from her, before sitting back to look at her. Pale and sporting dark circles under her eyes, Isabella could barely keep her eyes open as she laid in bed. Between the fever and the consistently runny nose, she as a mess. 

"Theo, let's make some breakfast," Sonny said, standing up. "C'mon, buddy. Waffles for my big boy and we'll get Ellie up."

"Mama?" 

"Mama needs to rest," Sonny told him, scooping the boy up into his arms. "And you need to put some clothes on, Theo. Runnin' around in nothin' but a diaper and shirt, isn't gonna work today. We do that when Mommy and your sisters aren't home." 

By the time Ellie and Theo were put down for their nap, after eating lunch, Sonny had Isabella out of bed and in the shower. "Just.. let the steam work it's magic," he said, as she leaned against the wall. "I put of 'em eucalyptus things in here that Frenchie got from Paris." 

Isabella groaned, "My smoothie?" she asked, cracking one eye open to look at him. 

"It's still in the fridge," he chuckled. "I'm gonna re-make the bed and bring it up for ya, so that you can eat somethin'. It's almost one-thirty." 

Taking his leave, Isabella managed to wash herself with a loofah, while Sonny stripped the sheets and pillow cases from the bed. By the time she was done and wrapped in a towel, Sonny had re-dressed the entire bed and had her drink waiting on the dresser for her. 

"Let's get ya dried off and dressed," Sonny said, coming over to help her. Getting her into clean clothes, he quickly towel-dried her hair and pulled it up into a messy bun, before leading her back into bed. "Here we go," he said, fixing the pillows up against the headboard. "Clean sheets and a smoothie." 

Taking the cup, Isabella quickly drank, which made Sonny laugh. "God, ya look like Theo takin' a bottle," he teased, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "You want me to make ya anythin'?" 

She shook her head, as she continued to eat. "Okay, well if ya get hungry, let me know and I'll make somethin'," he said, as she released the straw. 

"I'm gonna take the girls to the store after I get 'em," Sonny said, as Isabella yawned. "I figured I'd get more fruits, that way I can make ya smoothies in the comfort of our kitchen. Instead of taking the drive and makin' ya wait so long for one." 

"Hmmmm, love you," Isabella murmured, as she began to drift off into another nap. 

Sonny chuckled quietly, as he went to take the cup from her, only to have Isabella tighten her hold on it. "Get ya own," she mumbled, her eyes closed still. 

Standing, Sonny leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Yes, Ma'am," he teased. "Love you, too." 

"I'll come check on ya in a lil' bit," he promised. "If you need me, yell. Or... somethin;.." 

Making his way to the door, Sonny turned around to take one more look at her; propped up against a pile of pillows and holding the styrofoam cup in her hand, Isabella was already snoring. Simba wandered out from under the bed and quickly jumped up, taking his place on Sonny's pillows. Closing the door halfway, Sonny made his way downstairs to enjoy the silence, as Isabella and their two youngest slept. 

 


	85. teenage meltdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a long one, guys.

By the end of Carina's first year at Fordham University, the eighteen year old was burnt out. Between taking full credits during the fall and spring semester, and working part-time at Isabella's school in the office, Summer vacation was a welcomed gift and curse. 

Forgoing summer courses, Carina would be working Monday through Friday in the administration office at  _Academy of American_ Studies. Being the daughter of the head of the History department had its perks, especially snagging a steady part-time job. While her friends worked in grocery stores, coffee shops and in retail getting minimum wage, Carina was getting seventeen dollars an hour for secretarial work.

Being on a full scholarship, Sonny and Isabella left the option of working during the school year to Carina. 

 _"You still get an allowance for doin' chores, so it's not like you're gonna be broke..."_ Sonny said, after getting her early acceptance letter and scholarship notice in the mail. " _If ya wanna work, work. But.. don't kill yaself in the process."_

With no credit cards in her name, Carina was one to save her money. Of course she would give in and spoil herself here and there; a new book she had been dying to read, or to the movies with her friends. Unlike her sisters, she was a sensible girl. She didn't need a new wardrobe or makeup, which Sonny was very strict about in the first place. When she graduated high school, her parents bought her a Macbook for college. 

" _Every college girl needs a laptop!"_ her Mother smiled, as she unwrapped the present. " _You're gonna be one busy kid, come August!"_

College had been a whole different ballpark for her, coming off of Honor classes and AP courses. Of course, her guidance counselor warned her. Hell, her own parents warned her; even Zio Rafael warned her. College would be hard and Law schools would be looking at  _everything._ But the pressures of maintaining her GPA and making her parents proud, got to her. She surprised herself, managing to keep her head on straight for the entire first year of undergrad. Between papers, midterms and finals, Carina wore herself ragged. Winter and Spring break were spent reading and studying, before diving back into the all-nighters and hours spent in lectures. 

Everyone worried over her, taking note of the changes; her personality fluctuated from happy to angry, as did her appetite. Carina was a lover of food and had always been, since the moment she was introduced to solids. Now, she rarely ate. She lived off of coffee and snacks, and that was if she even remembered to eat. Sonny, on a few occasions, would force her to take a break and eat. 

" _You can afford a fifteen minute break, to eat some noodles."_

Carina managed to hide how bad her stress had become. She was smart; a full-ride scholarship to her dream school and being valedictorian in her graduating class, made that obvious. 

But when she finally broke down? 

No one was prepared. 

Not even Carina herself. 

..................

"I just got off the phone with Magda at work," Isabella said, as she folded a pair of Ellie's pants. "Apparently, Carina's completely out of it today at work." 

Sonny frowned on the screen, "What do you mean, "completely out of it," Iz?" he asked, as she moved the phone over on the table. "Like.. drunk? On drugs?" 

Isabella sighed, resting her elbows on the table. "Not herself," she shrugged. "According to her, Carina was very short with everyone. I wasn't up when she left for work and you were already gone by that point, but Magda said it looked like she didn't even make an attempt to get ready for the day. Clothes were wrinkled, hair was a mess." 

"Okay," Sonny nodded, as he picked up the phone; his end of their face time call shaking, as he started for Liv's office. "I'm gonna leave work now and pick her up..." 

"Do you want me to go?" she asked, as Sonny walked; her view being the floor and his shoes. "I mean.. you're at work right now. I'd feel bad if you got in trouble..." 

Suddenly, Sonny's face was back in view. "Iz, work comes second right now," he said, shaking his head. "Our daughter is much more important at this moment, so I'm leavin' work and I'm pickin' her up and bringin' her home." 

Isabella nodded, "Lina's at her soccer practice, which should be over in twenty minutes," she noted, looking at the large whiteboard calendar on the wall. "Joey's with her and he's bringing her back to my parents for the weekend. Siena's at Julie's house for a long sleepover...." 

He watched as she moved around the kitchen to study the board. "I'll see if I can get Joey to take Ellie and Theo, since he has to pick up Lina's things anyway," she said. "If there's something really going on, I want us to be able to give Carina our full attention." 

"Call Joey now and see if he can take Ellie and Theo," Sonny nodded. "Then call Frenchie and let her know that they're comin'. But, don't tell her about Carina. Just.... Just tell her that we want the weekend alone or somethin'. The last thing I need is for her to call everyone up and start somethin', that we don't even know anythin' about." 

"Alright," she nodded, coming back over to the kitchen table. "Just... if anything happens, call me. I'll make sure the kids are out of here, before you two get home." 

"Sounds good," Sonny nodded. "I love you." 

She gave him a tired, yet worried smile. "I love you, too," she said. "Be safe." 

Hanging up, Isabella picked up the phone and sighed, as she went into her contact list. The feeling of dread filled her belly, as the phone rang. Something just wasn't right. 

..............

 "I literally had to walk her out of the buildin'," Sonny whispered, as he and Isabella stood in their bedroom. "I walk in and she's just... sittin' there at her lil' desk. Phone is ringin' off the hook and she's just starin' off into space." 

Isabella felt her stomach twist, as Sonny paced back and forth on the carpet; his tie loose and badge still at his hip. "I mean.. I had to call her name a few times, before she finally looked at me. But, Iz.." he shook his head. "It was like she was lookin' right through me." 

"Oh god," Isabella whispered, shaking her head. "Do.. do you think something happened to her? On Sunday? I mean, she went out with Brennan and a few of the girls for a movie and ice cream..." 

He shook his head, "Nah, Carina's not one to lie about anythin' that crazy," he said. "I mean, at least I'd like to think so. And, we've  _both_ drilled into her about parties and shit. I really doubt she went off to a party, instead of goin' to the movies. I mean.. she had pictures on her  _Instagram_ wearin' those I-Max glasses and ice-cream." 

"I know, I know," Isabella nodded. "You're right. It's just.. the way she's acting right now? It reminds me of..." she stopped, falling silent. She couldn't,  _wouldn't,_ say it.  _Raped._ The idea alone, f someone assaulting her own baby, was enough to knock the air out of her. 

"Hey.." Sonny said softly, as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Let's go talk to her and see what's goin' on, hm? As painful as the idea is, let's try to keep calm about this." 

Nodding, Isabella let out a deep and heavy sigh, before following him out of the bedroom and down the hall. Knocking lightly on the door, Sonny pushed it open and stepped into the room, watching as Carina sat quietly and still on her bed; staring at the window . She didn't even look at her parents, as they walked into the room, standing at the foot of her bed. 

"Carina?" Sonny started, watching her. " _Topolina,_ are you alright?" 

Nothing. 

Making his way over to the side of her bed, Sonny squatted down in front of her. "Sweetheart," he started again, as Isabella watched them both. "What's goin' on? Mommy got a call from Magda today.." 

The total silence from Carina, set Isabella's nerves on edge. Her child was  _never_ this silent, even when she slept. Carina was always making a noise, from breathing to having full blown debates with them or with others. So now, at eighteen years old, the silence was so out of character. 

"Carina," she spoke, clearing her throat. "You can talk to us, you know. Whatever's going on... whatever happened... you can talk to Daddy and me." 

"That's what we're here for, sweetheart," Sonny nodded. "We won't get mad at ya, regardless of whatever's goin' on. We love you and we're just really worried about ya.." 

There was silence from the teenager. Her parents glanced at one another quickly, before looking back at her. "Did somethin' happen Sunday night?" he started, watching for a reaction. "Did you and Brennan get into a fight?" 

Isabella sat on the edge of the bed. "Did you or any of the girls get into a fight?" she asked. 

"Okay, no fighting," Sonny nodded, tapping his chin. 'Did... is there something you might've done, that you think you're gonna get in trouble for?" 

Carina didn't even budge. Her parents both asked a few more questions, before giving into their fears and worries. "Carina, whatever it is, you can talk to us," Sonny finally said. "I mean it. Your Mother and I are here and whatever's got ya in this mood... we're here to help ya." 

The teenager's eyes became glassy at that moment, as they filled with tears. It was as if a spark had gone off inside Carina, as her lips began to tremble, followed by entire body itself. Alarmed, but playing it cool, Sonny quickly placed his hands on her her knees, before moving to take her hands into his. 

"Okay, Okay," he nodded, as the first sob ripped through her. "Alright, it's alright." 

Standing, Sonny quickly moved forward, wrapping his arms around Carina, before sitting down next her. Quickly, Isabella did the same thing, sitting down on the other side of the teenager, her arms going around her waist. Followed by the first sob, came a  _wail._ And it shook both her parents to the core. There was crying, which Carina did a whole lot of, during her eighteen years of living. The last time she ever wailed this hard, was when Sonny made the mistake of giving her mashed peas as a baby, when they tried to get her into solids. Flashbacks of her little face, beet red and screwed up in disgust and distress, scared Sonny. 

"What happened?" Isabella asked, firmer this time. 

"N-n-n-" Carina hiccupped, shaking her head furiously. 

Sonny took the chance to ask, "Did somethin' happen to you on Sunday night?" he asked. "A fight? Did you go anywhere, other than the movies and the ice cream parlor?" 

Carina shook her head. "Okay," he said, relieved somewhat. "Did.. did anyone hurt you? If not that night, did somethin' happen at all?" 

"N-n-n-oooo!" Carina heaved, her entire body shaking. 

"Is it... is it work?" Isabella asked, trying to wrack her mind over what would cause her daughter this much distress. 

When she shook her head at that, Sonny thought for a moment, before slowly treading into the stormy seas. "Did.. is it school related?" he asked, bracing himself for the possible nuclear meltdown. 

And sure enough, Carina wailed harder at that, which startled them both. The initial " _oh fuck,"_ thought flashed through both of them, as they looked at each other. School was everything for Carina, who wanted to be a lawyer herself since two and a half. Everything she did, from her time in Day Care to her Senior year, was all for school. Forgoing the Ivy Leagues like Harvard or Yale, Carina was determined to get into Fordham. After all, it was her Father that she idolized the most, being a cop  _and_ a lawyer. When she was four, Carina proudly told her parents where she would be going for college. 

 _"When I'm grown up, I'm going to Booyah Fordham Law school!"_ she had giggled, much to her parents amusement. " _I want to have a big office with all my books and pictures and I'm gonna be a law lady! Like Daddy and Zio Rafael, but I get to wear a princess dress and wave my princess wand at the bad guys!"_

Of course, as the years went by, the princess dress was replaced with snazzy tailored suits.  _"I mean.. Daddy dresses nicely for work! I wanna wear that, when I become a lawyer! But, in girl clothes!"_

With no changing her mind, Sonny and Isabella worked hard to get her into her dream school. While Carina hit the books, taking the classes and joining the extracurricular, they worked on finding scholarships and cranking numbers over how they could afford the tuition. They had five children, who would all be going to college at some point. Evelina would be the next one, as she was going into her junior year of high school. The idea of re-starting the college applying process again, stressed both Sonny and Isabella out. 

So, with every application to every scholarship possible, they were so relieved when she manage to snag the prestigious presidential scholarship from Fordham. It also helped that Sonny was an alumni, though he kept that though to himself. At the end of the day, Carina was smart and she worked hard to get into Fordham on her own. The full-ride would cover four years of schooling, plus boarding if she chose to live in campus housing. Along with a smaller grant, just about everything was covered; tuition, textbooks and supplies.

"What happened with school?" Sonny asked. "Whatever it is, we can figure it out Carina."

"Did you lose your scholarship?" Isabella asked gently. "If you did, we'll figure something out, honey. Daddy and I will find a way for you to get through the next three years!" 

It was almost sixty grand a year, but financial aid would probably give her half, if not most, to keep her in. If it required more overtime for Sonny or refinancing their mortgage, they would make it work.

"I s-s-still h-h-h." Carina hiccuped.

"You still have your scholarship, okay that's good!" Sonny nodded, finishing for her. "Okay, let's calm down a bit, _topolina._ Just breathe.." 

Together, guiding her through each shuddery gasp for air, Sonny managed to calm her down a bit. "Take ya time," he nodded. "So, you have your scholarship still. Even if ya didn't, we'd always make it work to keep you in school. I promised ya when you were four years old, that you'd go to Fordham, Carina. You think I'm gonna let that change, scholarship or not?"

Carina shook her head, "What happened?" he asked her, placing his hand on her back. "Do you not want to go there?"

"Because if that's the case, it's totally normal," Isabella added. "It's alright. We're not going to get mad at you, if you don't want to go there. Daddy and I can't force you to stay there, if it's making you this upset." 

"I'm j-just s-s-s-o  _tired,"_ Carina cried, sniffling harshly. "I d-d-on't think I'm g-g-ood enough." 

That alone broke her parents hearts, "Carina, you are the brightest girl I've ever met," Sonny said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "And, I'm not sayin' that because you're my daughter. Now, I like to think that I'm somewhat smart and I know Mommy does the same thing. But you? It's a whole different level, kiddo." 

Isabella nodded, "You are good enough, baby," she said. "You're the valedictorian of your graduating class. You've won so many academic awards over the years and got a prestigious scholarship to your dream school." 

"And finished your first year in undergrad with a 4.0 GPA, while workin' part-time," Sonny concluded. "Carina, if that's not good enough, I don't know what is." 

Little sobs left Carina, as she continued to cry; silently for the most part now. "You're exhausted," Isabella nodded. "You worked yourself so hard this past year, making sure you got the grades that you got." 

Sonny nodded, "You need to take a break this summer," he said. "If you can't relax and decompress, ya gonna crash." 

"It'll happen again," Carina whined, as Isabella got up to get a box of tissues from Carina's desk. "I'll be like this until I pass the BAR exams." 

She sniffled again, "I should just quit now.." she muttered. "I'll never be a good lawyer." 

"Yes, you will," Sonny said, almost sternly. "Carina, you might become a better lawyer than me. And, I passed the BAR exam. Many, many years ago, mind you. Hell, I can't believe I'm gonna say this, so don't repeat it to anyone! But.. you might be better than Rafael. And he's been a lawyer since the dinosaur ages.." 

Isabella sat back down next to Carina on the bed, tissue box in hand. "We'll worry about your sophomore year, as it gets closer to it," she reasoned. "But right now, it's still June. You're eighteen years old, Carina. In college and working part-time."

Sonny nodded, "This is the time to enjoy life," he said. "Take a break and recharge ya batteries. Do all the things ya had to put off, because of school. _Breathe."_

"Which might be hard for you, because you're always on the go and studying," Isabella shrugged. "Why don't you call up Brennan and the girls? Take a little trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Fire Island?" 

"Seriously?" Carina asked, shocked at offer alone. 

"Well, we'd have to lay some ground rules," Sonny nodded. "But, you should be able to enjoy yourself. Eventually, we'll have to let ya off in the world, as painful as it sounds. You shouldn't have to spend ya entire summer, hangin' around here with your sisters and Theo. Or with us, since Mommy and I watch reality television for fun." 

Carina shrugged, "I'll think about it," she said quietly. 

They nodded, "Well, for now?" Sonny started, as the teenager looked at him. "You're officially on summer vacation. First on the list: a bubble bath. Mommy has all these weird bath salts and stuff from Grandma, which have some French Voodoo attached to it. So, I want you to take a bath and relax for a while. After that, we'll have dinner and we can do whatever you want after. Okay?" 

"Kay," Carina nodded, wiping her face with her shirt sleeve. 

"We just want you to be happy," Isabella said, giving her knee a light squeeze. "And you know, that no matter what, you can talk to us. You don't have to be scared to tell us anything, no matter what." 

Sonny wrapped his arm around Carina's shoulders, pressing a kiss against the side of her head. "I love ya,  _topolina,"_ he said, giving her a squeeze. "Whatever ya need, you can come to Mommy and I. And we'll make it work, whatever ya need, we'll make it work." 

And at that moment, sandwiched between both her parents, Carina felt something that she hadn't felt in almost a year. 

_Relief._

_.................._

A week later, on her day off from work, Carina spent it with her younger siblings. With Evelina and Siena having play dates and sleepovers with their own friends, Carina spent the day with Ellie and Theo. It gave Isabella and Sonny the chance to go grocery shopping alone, along with running a few errands here and there.

After dinner and showers, the kids went down for bed relatively early; a quarter to nine. 

"I'm impressed," Sonny said, as he and Isabella put away the last of the dishes. "I'm guessin' they had a lot of fun today with Carina." 

"It looks like she had a lot of fun too," she mused, closing up the dishwasher. "I mean.. they were all outside in the backyard, running around like maniacs. Carina looked so happy." 

Sonny nodded, leaning against the counter. "I think she's gonna be fine," he admitted. "I mean.. she went out last night and the night before. Which is like, huge for Carina. She rather spend her nights home with us, than out with her friends." 

Isabella wiped her hands with a paper towel. "I talked to Maman about the house on Fire Island," she started. "She said Carina could use the time-share, but that there would be ground rules in place." 

"Of course there would be," he snorted. "She's eighteen, Iz. Carina and her friends know better, than to even  _think_ about throwing parties and drinkin'. Robbie and I, scared the shit outta her and Brennan when they were like.. fourteen about parties and boys." 

"Of course you two did," Isabella shook her head. "Maybe.. we could let them go for a weekend. After the Fourth of course, but maybe they could go like.. Friday to Monday. We could always have Tori go with them, considering the fact that she's five years older than the girls. Besides, she doesn't drink or party, since she's all into that.. yoga and shit." 

Her husband laughed, "Oh, they'll fuckin'  _love_ Tori," he said, shaking his head. "Up at the crack of dawn, doin' yoga at the beach." 

She shrugged, "It's better than sending one of your sisters," she finalized. "We'll talk to Robbie and Marcy tomorrow about it, along with Courtney and Alicia's parents. And your sister and Tommy." 

"Alright," Sonny nodded. "Did you call and check in on Goofy and Max?" 

"I did," Isabella snorted, shaking her head at the nicknames. "Evelina's doin' some weird paint project with Allie and her Mom. Siena made cookies and is currently playing with baby dolls with Sammy." 

"Ah, to be young and so unaware of life's struggles," Sonny sighed, shaking his head. "Well, since we have three asleep upstairs, maybe we should go to bed too."

Isabella pouted, "Tried?" 

He nodded, " _Exhausted,"_ he said, checking the lock on the sliding door. "Fifty-one and I feel like I'm in my eighties." 

Turning on the light over the stove, Isabella followed him out of the kitchen, waiting by the stairs and he checked the front door. "

"Who knew that a teenage meltdown, would be your mid-life crisis," Isabella sighed, as they started upstairs. "I wonder what mine will be." 

"God, I hope it's somethin' simple," Sonny said, as they checked on the kids. "Because I don't think I could go through another episode like that again. Broke my friggin' heart, watchin' her cry like that. Who knew that someone could cry like that, three days in a row.." 

 


	86. potty training: evelina

"Evelina, are you poopin' in that corner?" Sonny asked, standing in the entryway of the living room. 

"No, Daddy," Evelina shook her head, her red curls swaying just below her chin. "I'm not poopin'." 

Sonny scoffed, "Lina, I can tell by the look on ya face," he pointed out, as the little girl's cheeks were slightly red from straining herself. "Did you just poop?" 

Looking defeated, the three year old nodded. "I pooped," she said, solemnly. "I sorry, Daddy." 

"Ah, it's alright," Sonny nodded, letting out a deep sigh. "Let's get ya cleaned up. Mommy's makin' lunch, so we gotta hurry." 

Scurrying across the living room, Evelina took Sonny's hand and followed him upstairs and into the bathroom she shared with Carina and Siena. Putting the tub on, Sonny carefully removed the soiled pull-up, tossing into the trashcan. Using the wipes, he quickly wiped her, before putting her into the tub. With a loofah, Sonny scrubbed the girl down before rinsing her off. 

"We need to start goin' in the potty, Lina," Sonny said, once she was dried and in a clean pull-up. "You're gettin' too big for these things.." 

Taking her into the bedroom, Sonny grabbed a clean shirt and a pair of shorts from the dresser. Potty training had been quite the adventure with Evelina, ever since Sonny and Isabella started the training process when she was two and a half. At first, Evelina was doing well, wearing the underwear and going into the toilet to pee. While Carina managed to be fully potty trained by two and a half, right before Evelina was born, their middle child was giving them a run for their money. The amount of laundry they did, along with the amount of pull-ups they went through, it started to add up. It was expensive enough, getting the biggest pack of diapers and wipes for their six month old; half for home and half for day care, along with the diaper bag. But add in pull-ups, which only ran to a certain size, since almost four year olds were usually using toilet at that age; it was safe to say that Evelina was not an easy child. 

"What happened to her?" Isabella asked, as Sonny carried Evelina into the kitchen. 

"Pooped in her pants," Sonny sighed, sitting down at the table with Evelina. "Gave her a bath, instead of doin' a simple pull-up change." 

Nodding, Isabella set down a teething ring on Siena's high chair tray. Across from Sonny and Evelina, Carina scribbled in one of her coloring books, completely oblivious to what was going on around her. 

Pouring juice and water into three cups, Isabella leaned against the counter, "We should probably start the training process again, Sonny," she started, as Siena shoved gnawed on the ring, grunting and drooling. "I'm not sure how much longer she'll even fit into those pull-ups. They don't make them any bigger than a size five, unless the entire state of New York doesn't have them." 

"Lina.. why don't you poop on the potty?" he asked. "Hm? You're good at going pee-pee, save for nap time and when you wake up in the mornin'.."

"I scared to go poopie on the potty," Evelina shrugged. "It hurts." 

Sonny nodded ,"Well.. sometimes it does hurt to poop," he shrugged. "But, it's so much better to do it in the potty. I mean.. you don't wanna sit in your own poop right?" 

Evelina shook her head, "I know you're scared, Lina. But, you don't have to be," he continued. "Look, the more you go in the potty, than you can wear big girl pants like Carina! And she's got a lot of big girl pants, with all your favorite princesses and friends." 

"We could always turn the white board into a track board," Isabella piped up, as she set a sippy down on Siena's tray. 

"For what?" Sonny frowned. 

"Keep track of how often she goes in the toilet," Isabella shrugged, setting a cup of juice down in front of Carina. "If she goes every day, for a week, we reward her with something.." 

Carina finally looked up from her coloring book, "A treasure box!" she squealed, bouncing in her seat. "Daddy! I have that at school!" 

Amused, Sonny nodded slowly, as Carina continued to ramble. "You get stars next to your name, every time you do something good!" she exclaimed. "Like cleaning up your messes or not hitting our friends!" 

"And at the end of the week, if you have all your stars, you get a prize," Isabella concluded. "I did it back when I taught pre-k and kindergarden. We could use an old shoe box and the girls can decorate it, while we get little toys and stickers from the dollar store. Or I can get some things, when we head out to my parents tomorrow." 

"How's that sound, Lina?" Sonny asked, as the toddler looked up at him. "You go in the potty, every day, and you'll get a prize?" 

She nodded, "I want Moana stickers, Daddy," she said, turning around to face the table. "And piggies." 

He snorted, bringing her cup of juice closer to her. "Alright, we can get ya some Moana stickers and piggies," he promised, as she drank. "Mommy'll get the white board ready and we'll start this thing tomorrow." 

..........................

"Wow Lina! You got six stars today!" Sonny gasped, looking at the white board in the kitchen. "You went to the potty six times today?" 

Lina squealed and nodded, as she stood next to him. "Atta girl!" Sonny chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Did you go poopie too?" 

"No," Lina shook her head. "I don't has to right now." 

"Alright, that's fine," Sonny nodded, shrugging at the same time. "But.. when you feel like ya have to go, you have to tell me or Mommy. That way, we can take ya into the bathroom and wait with ya." 

In the living room, the television was on and blasting another Disney movie; which Carina had been belting along to, while Isabella folded up the laundry. On the activity mat, Siena crawled about, batting at the hanging birds and butterflies that were attached to it. Giving her an ice pop, Sonny sent Evelina into the living room to join her sisters, before heading upstairs to shower and change. 

"Yeah, no," Isabella said, as he came downstairs fifteen minutes later. "You're not getting a four scooped ice cream sundae, Carina. Are you out of your mind? You barely go to bed as it is, and that's when you have one ice pop before bed." 

"But, Moooommmmmyyy!" 

Sonny chuckled, as he walked into the living room, picking Siena up along the way to the sofa. "Carina, no way," he said, sitting down with the infant. "Mommy and I are not stayin' up all night, while you get a bellyache. Or decide to run around the house, all hopped up on sugar." 

The four year old pouted, batting her eyelashes at him. "Carina, it's not gonna work," Sonny sighed, turning to smile at Siena. "Hello my lil' buttercup! Did you have a good day? Did ya say any words for Mommy?" 

"She did nothing but cry for most of the day," Isabella sighed, moving the folded towels back into the laundry basket. "Cried after I finished feeding her, after I changed her, after she woke up from nap.... cried, cried, cried. This is the first time I've actually seen her smile, all day." 

"Awww, Siena," Sonny pouted, kissing the baby's hands. "You cried all day for Mommy? Did you miss, Daddy?" 

While he played with the baby, Carina continued to sulk in her little princess armchair, while Evelina sat quietly on the floor with her ice pop. After a few minutes, Carina let out a disgusted cry, glaring at her sister. 

"YOU POOPED!" she shouted, startling everyone, including Evelina. 

Like a deer caught in the headlights, Evelina quickly glanced between her parents and Carina; her little face turning bright red and her eyes growing wet with the threat of tears. 

"Carina Rose!" Isabella scolded, as Evelina began to whimper. "That was NOT nice!" 

"Lina, Lina, it's alright," Sonny said, as he sat up with Siena. "Iz, take the baby. C'mon, Lina. It's alright!" 

And the floodgates opened, as Evelina began to cry. "I'm s-s-s-orry!" she wailed, as Sonny made his way across the living room and to her side. "I fh-fh-forgots!" 

Bending down, Sonny carefully picked her up and held her to his chest. "Hey, hey," he said gently, running his hand down the back of her head. "Think about it, Lina. Ya went six times today on the potty." 

"But you take my stars away!" 

"Nah, Mommy and I aren't takin' the stars away," he promised, kissing the side of her head. "You got six stars for peein' on the potty. We'll alter the board to make it so that you get stars for peein' and poopin'." 

Isabella nodded, "I'll fix the board tonight," she promised. "Go take a bubble bath, Lina. You can use Mommy's bath soap tonight." 

Carina gasped in outrage, "MOMMY!" she shouted. "I WANT TO USE YOUR BUBBLES! BUT YOU TELLS ME NO!" 

Carrying Evelina upstairs, while Isabella punished Carina for her behavior, Sonny spoke quietly to the three and a half year old. "We'll keep tryin' until ya feel comfortable, Lina," he promised, carrying her into the master bathroom. "I'm not mad at ya and neither is Mommy." 

"I'm sad, Daddy," she sniffled, as he set her down on the floor. "No more talk about it. I'm sad." 

"Sometimes, you're too much like your Mother," he sighed, turning the faucet on to fill up the tub. "Let's get ya in the tub and ready for bed, since it's gettin' late.." 

..................

It wouldn't be until the middle of July, when they finally graduated out of pull-ups and into underwear. Two months into their summer break, with the kids and Isabella off from school, they were able to get Evelina on the potty at every chance. When the girls went away for the weekend to their grandparents, Sonny and Isabella made sure that the training process continued there. Angela and Noelle loved the idea of tracking on the whiteboard, that they each bought one for their own homes. 

Of course, there were set backs. The nights when Evelina woke up with a soiled pull-up, or waking her parents up to use the potty. The nights they would sit with her, watching as she cried on the toilet bowl when it came to pooping. 

 _"Just breathe, Lina,"_ Isabella said, as Sonny knelt on the floor before the girl. 

Over time, they would bring books into the bathroom or a tablet; anything to keep Evelina occupied and her mind off the pain she felt, when going to the bathroom. Fearing that it was a medical issue, Sonny took her to the pediatrician for answers. What he got in return, was a trip to the store to get a toilet seat and a list of foods that Evelina should be eating to promote consistent bowel movements. They bought a step-stool for their bathroom, since Evelina favored theirs over the one she shared with Carina and Evelina. It had seemed like a lot of Evelina's things found their way into the master bathroom, from the basket of picture books to a stock of underwear in the drawer. 

By the time they went away for the weekend of the Fourth, Evelina was wearing underwear all day and waking up with dry pull-ups. Skipping the pull-up for nap time, after a morning of running around in the sun, her parents were surprised and pleased when she woke up dry and poop-free. A week after their trip to Fire Island, Evelina stopped wearing pull-ups and started using the toilet to pee and poop. 

"So, are we officially done with the pull-ups?" Sonny asked, after Evelina went to the bathroom. 

"No more pull-ups, Daddy!" she nodded. "I'm a big girl now! I go in the potty!" 

Relieved, Sonny stored the pull-ups in the hall closet, praying that he wouldn't have to take them out again until it was Siena's turn to wear them. Helping Evelina up onto the step stool to wash her hands, Sonny quickly had them dried and the little girl up in his arms. 

"Let's get ready for bed," he sighed, as they walked out of the bathroom. "Tomorrow, Zia Amanda's comin' over with Jesse for the day." 

"Can we call Zio Fin and Zio 'Fael?" Evelina asked, as he carried her into the bedroom she shared with Carina. "Rina's not gonna wanna play football with us, Daddy. Zio 'Fael can read her stories from his law books." 

Sonny snorted, "We'll see," he said, pulling the blankets up and over her. "Zio Fin is workin' tomorrow mornin'. And Zia Amanda's only gonna be here for half the day, since she has to work tomorrow night with me. That's why Jesse is spendin' the night with you guys tomorrow." 

She pouted. "Hey, it's not the end of the world, Lina," Sonny reminded her. "I'm sure Zia Amanda can take videos of you and Jesse playin' football, so that Zio Fin can watch them. We can always call tomorrow night and do the video call, so that you can see Zio Fin." 

"Can you bring them cupcakes tomorrow?" she yawned, clutching her blue pig to her chest. "Mommy and Zia 'Manda are making me cupcakes. Cuz, I can poop on the potty now." 

"If you guys don't eat 'em all," Sonny chuckled. "You know how Zio Fin is, when it comes to cupcakes." 

Evelina giggled, as Sonny fixed the blankets. "Get some sleep," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I love ya, Lina." 

Wiggling under the blankets, Evelina sighed deeply, as she drifted off into dreamland. "Love you, Daddy," she mumbled. 

With Carina snoring in her own bed on the other side of the room, Sonny made sure the windows were locked and the nightlight was on, before heading out into the hallway. Siena had already been fed, changed and rocked to sleep by Isabella. 

"All asleep?" Isabella asked, as she put the dirty clothes into the hamper. 

"All asleep," he confirmed, closing the door halfway behind him. "What's this I hear about cupcakes? You know I can't be empty handed tomorrow night, especially since Fin eats them like they're goin' out of style." 

Isabella giggled, "I figured we could let the girls make cupcakes tomorrow, before Lina and Jesse play football," she shrugged, turning the blankets down on the bed. "I got enough cupcake mix to make plenty for everyone, Sonny. I'll send you off to work with cupcakes, as long as you promise to bring my tupperware back home." 

"Deal," he yawned, climbing into bed next to her. "I put the pull-ups in the closet. Lina's done with 'em, so we can save what's leftover for Siena." 

"Thank god," Isabella sighed, turning the bedside lamp off. "Never thought I'd see the day, where I didn't have to buy both diapers  _and_ pull-ups." 

He snorted, "I'd pack extra clothes for her in the diaper bag, just in case," he admitted. "But.. somethin' tells me that she's gonna be fine." 

Rolling onto her side, Isabella looked at him in the faint light that streamed through their bedroom windows. "Yeah," she finally said, as he turned to look at her. "I think so too." 


	87. my best friend

Sonny stretched his aching limbs, as a hot cup of tea sat before him on the kitchen table. After pulling a double shift, with an additional four hours of overtime, Sonny was home and off for the next two days. Between paperwork and running all over the city in the rainy and chilly weather, he was relived to have the next three days off to stay in the house. 

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Carina rushed into the kitchen and over to the table, pulling herself up onto Sonny's lap. "Hi, Daddy!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

At the sink, Isabella snorted as she rinsed out Siena's bottles. "Hi,  _Topolina,"_ Sonny said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "What are ya doin; out of bed? It's late." 

"I heard you talkin' to Mommy," she shrugged, as he ran his hand down the back of her head. "I wanted to show you my project!" 

"It's on the table, Carina," Isabella said.

Nodding, Carina leaned across the table and grabbed the large piece of construction paper; Sonny winced, as she almost hit the tea cup, moving it quickly out of the way. Settling back down against his chest, Carina held up the paper in her hands. 

"Let's see what we got here," Sonny said, helping her hold the paper. "Wow! Carina, did you make this at school today?" 

"I did!" Carina squealed, clearly pleased at the reaction she was getting. "We had to pick who our best friend is! I picked you, Daddy!" 

Sure enough, on the pink construction paper, were the words:  **My Best Friend is:** _My Daddy!._ Then, on cut out hearts that were glued to the pink sheet, were all the reasons why Sonny was Carina's best friend. 

"Well, what did you tell the teacher?" Sonny asked, as he rested his chin on the top of her head. "Why am I your best friend?" 

"Because you make my food," Carina started, which made Sonny and Isabella snort. "You're a police man and a law man, which means you keep us safes." 

Sonny hummed in agreement. "You play tea parties with me and my dollies! And we color together, sing princess songs and you read me stories," Carina listed, pointing to the random hearts. "Oh! And you kiss all my boo-boos and you hold me when I'm sick." 

"And I scare away the bed monsters," Sonny added, reading the font on the blue heart. "That's a big reason to love anyone, Carina." 

Carina nodded," And the most, bestest thing of all.." she said, looking up at him. "You love me." 

Sonny smiled and nodded, "I love you a lot, Carina," he said, which made her beam at him. "My lil' buddy!" 

"Daddy!" Carina squealed, as he tickled her, making her squirm in his grasp. "That tickles!" 

Stopping, Sonny dropped another kiss, this time to her cheek. "I love it, Carina," he finally said, looking back at the paper in his hand. "I'm gonna hang this up on the fridge, that way I can see it every mornin', before I go to work." 

Setting the paper down on the table, Sonny wrapped both his arms around her little frame, rocking her side to side, as he sat in the chair. "Daddy? Am I your best friend?" Carina finally asked, a few minutes later. 

"You're one of my best friends," Sonny nodded. 

"You can have more than one?" Carina gasped, looking up at him. 

He shrugged, "Before you, Lina and Siena, Mommy was my first and only best friend," he shrugged, which made Isabella snort. "And, without Mommy... I wouldn't have you guys." 

The four and a half year old nodded, "Cuz, Mommy has to poop us out!" she said seriously, making Sonny snort. "Right, Mommy?" 

"Of course," Isabella nodded, as she came over to the table.

"Who's your best friend, Mommy?" Carina asked, curious now. "Zia Livvie?" 

Isabella shrugged, as she moved the art project away from the edge of the table. "She's one of my best friends," she said. "But, Daddy's my number one best friend." 

Sonny gasped, "You better not let Lina hear that," he shook his head. "Poor girl will have a meltdown." 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella looked at her daughter. "You're also my best friend too, Carina. Just like your sisters," she nodded. "But, without Daddy, I wouldn't have you three." 

"If you didn't poop us out without Daddy, would you poop at all?" Carina asked, frowning. 

"Well, if Daddy and I didn't get married, I probably wouldn't have any little girls running around," Isabella admitted. "It would just be me, in a big ol' house with a bunch of cats. And Grandma." 

Carina pouted. "And without Mommy," Sonny piped up. "I don't think I'd have any little girls or little boys, with any other Mommy. I would just work all day with Zia Liv and fight with Zio Rafael, over my ugly ties and the law." 

Sex and childbirth were two things that neither were ready to talk about, considering the fact that they had a four, two and a four month old. But recently, Carina started asking Sonny and Isabella about where babies came from. Between Siena's birth and seeing babies all day at her daycare, Carina wanted to know how and where they came from. And of course, Isabella's brother went and told her that babies were "pooped' out, leaving his Sister and Brother-in-Law to try and answer the questions. 

"I'm glad Daddy gave you babies to poop out, Mommy," Carina finally said, leaning her head back against Sonny's chest. "And that you can still poop." 

Sonny chuckled, "I'm glad too," he said, smiling at Isabella. "And I'm glad that Mommy decided to marry me and poop out babies. Because you guys are the best things that ever happened to me, ya know? And without Mommy, I would be so sad." 

"That's cuz Mommy's your Queen," Carina said, reaching up to lay her tiny hands against his face. "I heard you tellin' that to Zia Fin, when you tooked me Zio 'Fael's law room." 

It was Isabella's turn to snort, "I can only  _imagine_ what the conversation was about, for to you to call me your "queen," she teased. 

And just as Sonny was about to explain himself, Carina was quick to beat him to it. "Zio 'Fael and Zio Fin wanted Daddy to go to a drink place, but Daddy said no thank you," she started, as Isabella nodded for her to continue. "Zio Fin asked Daddy why and Daddy said, he had to ask you. Then Zio "Fael askeded Daddy why you make the rules and Daddy said "Cuz' she's my Queen, Raf!" and he had a happy face and Zio Fin and Zio 'Fael rollded their eyeballs." 

Sonny was blushing by the end, as Isabella giggled. "I do make the rules," she shrugged, as Carina giggled. 

"Daddy makes rules, Mommy," she shook her head. "We just breaks them." 

"And with that, it's time for bed," Sonny announced, earning a groan in protest from Carina. "Hey, I'm off for the next two days, Rina. How about I keep you, Lina and Si Si home from school tomorrow? We can sleep in a bit, have pancakes and watch movies in Mommy and Daddy's room." 

It only took her a second to think about the offer, before she looked at him. "Can we watch princess movies?' she asked, giving him an expectant look. 

He sighed deeply, "As if I'd put anythin' else on for you three," he said, earning himself a squeal. 'C'mon. Let's get ya tucked back into bed,  _Topolina._ It's so cold outside tonight." 

Setting the cup of tea in the sink, Isabella turned out the kitchen lights and followed Sonny and Carina upstairs. Giving Carina a kiss goodnight, Isabella went to check on Siena, while Sonny tucked Carina back under the mountain of blankets and stuffed animals that awaited her on the bed. 

"I love you," Sonny whispered, as Carina clutched one of her many toys to her chest; Cupcake purring deeply at the end of her bed, completely unaware of the movement in the bed. 

"Love you, Daddy," Carina yawned, as the nightlight went on. 

Standing up, Sonny carefully and quietly checked on Evelina, before making his way out of the bedroom, closing the door halfway behind him. Checking in on Siena, Sonny made his way back downstairs, checking on all the doors and windows. In the kitchen, Sonny put the light on over the stove, before checking the sliding door. 

"Hey, Simba," Sonny yawned, as the cat sat on the table. "Ya goin' to bed, buddy?" 

On the chair, Leia yawned and stretched, before laying her head back down. "There's a bunch of other chairs to lay on, ya pain in the butt," Sonny scoffed, as Simba meowed. "Go upstairs and cuddle up to Lina, ya smelly brat." 

Making sure there wasn't anything on the table that would become a fire or choking hazard, Sonny's eyes stopped on the construction paper. Picking it up, he made his way over to the refrigerator and stopped, looking down at the artwork. In the middle of all the hearts, stood a photo of the duo; it had been taken last week, when Sonny surprised the girls by getting out of work early to pick them up. 

 _"Miss Karla! Miss Karla! Take a picture of me and my Daddy!"_ Carina had demanded, as Sonny knelt down on the floor to greet her.  _Daddy, take a picture with me for the family tree!_

Still dressed in his work clothes, Sonny had his arms around Carina. The little girl had her arms around his neck, donned in a princess costume with a police man hat on her head; both were smiling at the camera, looking almost identical, had it not been for Carina's red hair.

With a quiet chuckle, Sonny set the paper with a few magnets onto the door; next to the grocery list, various pieces of art work from Carina and Evelina and a mis-matched display of magnets. Stepping back, Sonny took a moment to admire the newest addition to the Carisi wall of art. Feeling the overwhelming sense of love and joy, Sonny made his way upstairs quietly and to bed. 


	88. moving on up.

Isabella frowned as she read the cover of the study manual, which had been left on the kitchen table. At that moment, Sonny made his way downstairs and into the kitchen, towel drying his hair. 

"I think we're out of conditioner again, Iz," he said, voice muffled from under the terrycloth towel. "I'll stop and get some this weekend, since we'll be out on Long Island to see your parents.." 

She turned and looked at him, watching as he pulled the towel off his head. "What?" he asked, taking note of the look she was giving him. "What's wrong?" 

Isabella lifted up the book and showed him the covering, sitll frowning. "Oh, that," he shrugged, as she looked at it again. 

"You're getting a promotion?" Isabella asked, as Sonny made his way over to her and the table. "Did you know about this for a while, or did you find out today?" 

"Well, Liv pulled me into her office today," he started, sitting down on one of the chairs. "Fin's retiring at the end of the year." 

Isabella gasped," He is?" she asked, as Sonny nodded. "Why didn't he say anything! We saw him last Sunday, when he came over to watch the Super Bowl!" 

Sonny shrugged, "I think he told Liv back in the summer," he shrugged. "Liv didn't want to say anythin' to me until after ya had the baby, but.." 

"I guess the exam is coming up soon?" Isabella sighed, looking at the book in her hands. 

"Early summer," he nodded. "I mean.. I don't have to do it, Iz. I'm fine with bein' Detective. There's really no need for me to become Sergeant, especially since I could retire from the NYPD and start practicing law after all these years." 

She shrugged, "Would you be off the street more?" she asked, running her thumb along the spine of the study guide. 

Sonny shrugged, "I would delegate more, givin' out orders to Amanda and the others," he said. "I'd still have to be out on the streets, goin' to crime scenes and trackin' down witnesses, perps and whatnot. I could choose to stay indoors, but you know me.." 

"Always gotta run out the door," she nodded. "Sonny.. if this is what you wanna do, you should do it." 

"Yeah?" 

His wife nodded, "You've worked so hard over the last fifteen years, working for the NYPD," she said. "If you decide to take the sergeants exam or retire to open a law practice, I'll support you in the long run. Hell, if you went to work for Rafael, it would be great. You'd get an office and privacy for once, though, the hours are a bit longer and you'd be brining your work home with you." 

"More threats against myself and you guys," Sonny added, shaking his head. "If I go down the lawyer route, I'd do somethin' private I think. Maybe join a firm or open my own practice. If you'd ask me eleven years ago, before I met you and got married.. had the kids.. I'd be all about working or the DA's office." 

"Do you regret it a little bit?" Isabella asked. "Doing the family route and giving up something like that?" 

Sonny quickly shook his head, sitting up in the chair. "No way," he said, reaching out to lay his hand upon her belly. "I'd chose you and the girls over anythin', doll. If anythin' ever happened to you guys, I'd never forgive myself." 

Laying her hand over his, they both relished in the feeling of their unborn daughter, moving around frantically. "Yeah," Sonny shook his head, after a few minutes of silence. "I could never regret any of this." 

"Take the exam," Isabella nodded, as he looked up at her. "Tell Liv, if you haven't already given her an answer, that you'll take the exam. After the baby is born and we settle down, we'll start prepping for it. If you make sergeant, it'll be great. If you decide that you don't want the promotion after passing the exam, it'll still be great. Whatever you decide to do in the long run, we'll be proud of you." 

"I know," Sonny nodded, smirking at her. "You're my number one cheerleader, remember?" 

She giggled, "Well, this number one cheerleader is ready for bed," she sighed, patting his hand. "Gonna join me? Or do you want to start studying for a bit?" 

Sonny snorted, "After the crazy day we had?" he asked, taking the book from her. "I'm ready for bed, Iz. I've been waitin' for this all day, crashin' into my own bed with my gorgeous wife." 

Standing, Sonny pulled her away from the table, wrapping his arm around her waist. "You're such a charmer," Isabella teased, as he leaned down to kiss her. 

"Yeah, I know," Sonny chuckled, peppering her face with kisses. "But, I miss you. My favorite part of the day is bein' with you. And our daughters, who suddenly want pink and purple hair." 

"Oh god," Isabella groaned, as Sonny led her to the staircase. 

"Do I even wanna know?" he asked, as they started upstairs to their bedroom. "Or is this somethin' I'm better off not knowin' about?" 

Letting out a tired sigh, Isabella shook her head. "Ask Amanda," was all she would say, as she climbed into bed. 

Setting the study manual on the dresser, Sonny pulled the blankets back on his side of the bed. "Why is that always the "go to" answer these  days?" he asked. "I'm startin' to worry that Amanda's givin' our girls some crazy ideas to run wild with.." 

.....................

Sonny didn't look at the study manual again, until mid-April. With Ellie's traumatic birth and Isabella's long recovery, the last thing he could think about was taking some exam to get a promotion. The worry if both Isabella and their baby surviving, followed by the heavy foot traffic coming and going in their house, was more important. 

It was on a rainy Saturday morning, two and a half months after Ellie's birth, that Isabella brought it up. 

"You haven't cracked open that book," she mused, as she fed Ellie. "Are you going to take the exam or wait until next year?" 

"Ah, it's too late to even start studyin'," Sonny shrugged, setting a glass of orange juice before her. 

She sighed, "The girls are with your parents this weekend," she started, shifting Ellie to the other breast. "Ellie and I will just nap all day, since we're both good at it. That way, you can study." 

He started to protest, when she cut him off. "Baby, you've been running around like crazy," she reminded him. "Ellie and I are  _fine._ Just because I sleep a lot, doesn't mean I'm sick. I'm just  _exhausted,_ more so now than the last three times I did this. But, you don't have to spend all your free time outside of work, watching me sleep." 

"But the doctor sai-"

"Yes, the doctor said it would probably take months or a year to feel like my old self," Isabella nodded. "But, that doesn't mean you can't study and take the exam. It's not like it's going to change my health, if you do it or not." 

Sonny sighed, "Fine," he nodded. "I'll start studyin' and hopefully I'll know enough to pass the damn thing." 

Isabella smiled at him, as Ellie let out a burp. "You've been working for this moment your entire career," she said, reaching for the burp cloth on the table. "You'll pass. And we'll have cake and by the end of the year, you'll attend some fancy party and I'll get to tell everyone that my sexy husband is an NYPD Sergeant." 

"Ah, so  _that's_ why you want me to do it," Sonny teased, as Ellie burped and spit up at the same time. "You just wanna put on a ball gown and go to a fancy party." 

"You know me," Isabella shrugged, as he came over to take Ellie; her nursing bra going back up into place. "Anything that has free food and an open bar, is good in my books." 

.................

Every waking moment, outside of work, was consumed with studying. Adding in his parental duties and his share of the housework, Sonny spent most of his time in the little office downstairs, with his nose in books and practice exams that Olivia and Isabella found for him. On nights that Ellie woke up screaming, Sonny quickly dropped everything to get her, that way Isabella could sleep. 

"Are you sure?" she would ask, every time he beat her to the nursery. 

"We'll be fine," he promised, as he changed the soiled diaper or grabbed Ellie's blanket. "I'll warm up a bottle and put her in the chair. Or the sling, if she really wants to cuddle with her ol' man." 

Some nights he would walk the hallways, with Ellie nestled in the sling against his chest, with a book or a packet in hand; studying and memorizing terms and procedures. Other nights, they would sit together in the office; the lullaby station playing all night long as Ellie snored in the little rocker chair. 

And if it wasn't Ellie, it was Carina. Or Evelina. Or Siena. The girls took turns, sharing some time with Sonny, while he studied like a madman. Even if it was to take a nap on the daybed near the window, reading a book or coloring, Sonny was never fully alone. And, while some would want the total silence, Sonny was thankful for it. It kept him sane and Isabella in bed if needed, which was detrimental in their house. 

On the morning of the exam, Sonny was up early, going over the last few pages of notes he jotted down. 

"You'll be fine," Isabella said, as she handed him a thermos and his lunchbox. "You've been studying non-stop for this exam and you're going to pass. Hell, you've known most of this stuff for years at this rate." 

"Still," Sonny sighed, letting out a shaky breath. "Will you still love me if I fail?" 

Isabella sighed, "You won't fail," she reminded him. "And I'll always love you, no matter what. The girls too." 

Checking his watch, Sonny nodded, his stomach in knots. "I better get goin'," he said, moving to put the papers back into his backpack, along with the lunchbox. "I'll call ya once I get out." 

"I'll order pizza for dinner tonight," she said, following him to the front door. "The girls and I are gonna hang around inside today, since it's supposed to rain." 

"If anythin' happens, call Liv," Sonny insisted. "Even if it's you that doesn't feel good, for any reason. She gave me the clear to relay that message to ya, Iz. She's off for the day and will gladly take the girls off ya hands for a few hours." 

Isabella nodded, "I'll remember that," she said. "But, we'll be fine. They're gonna eat cereal, watch some cartoons and take a nap. Which means, Mama will nap and dream about pizza." 

Sonny chuckled, shaking his head. "You're crazy, doll," he sighed, leaning down to kiss her. "Be good." 

"You too," Isabella teased. "Good luck, Sonny." 

Watching him pull out of the driveway, Isabella waved and watched as the car drove down the block, before closing the door. Being that it was only seven-thirty in the morning, Isabella made her way back into bed, hoping for another half hour or so of sleep. 

..................

Waiting for the results were nerve wracking, considering the fact that he took the BAR exam, many, many years ago. Every day he checked online and in the pile of mail, holding his breath for the potential life-changing news. But the summer went by without any word and Sonny began to lose hope in the whole thing. 

"I definitely failed," he whined, as they sat in Noelle and Antonio's backyard, one hot and muggy August afternoon. "I should've heard by now, ya know?" 

"Ah, maybe they're gonna announce the results in the fall," Antonio shrugged, as they sat under the shade of the lanai. "I mean, isn't that NYPD party thing in November?" 

Sonny snorted, "October," he corrected the older man. "Iz said the same thing the other day. She's been lookin' for somethin' to wear, even though there's no guarantee that I passed the exam. Already told her, several times mind you, that if I didn't pass the exam, we would be stayin' home." 

In the yard, Carina and Evelina screeched, as Joey tossed a ball around for them to chase. "Iz just wants a night out with you is all," Antonio shrugged. "She's been cooped up in the house for months, between recoverin' and bein' with the kids. It's been a while since you two had a night out on the town." 

'Doesn't mean she has to get a ball gown," Sonny pointed out, as the sliding door opened. 

"I just don't understand why he has to play with them, like they're dogs!" Isabella exclaimed, as she held Ellie against her hip. "Joey says bark and they bark!" 

Noelle scoffed, "Then you complain that he's never here to see them!" she yelled, setting a vegetable platter on the table. "Let your Brother have some fun, Isabella! He's going to California for a month soon!" 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella made her way over to Sonny, dropping a kiss against his lips. "What are you two up to?" she asked, as Ellie squealed. 

"Sonny's grumblin' over his exam results," Antonio said, as he held his arms out for Ellie. "And about a ball." 

"Really?" Isabella scoffed, glaring at her husband. "Can't you just relax and be here, instead of worrying about the exam?" 

He pouted, "And can't you just let me have a moment, where I can look at pretty dresses and daydream about being able to fit into one?" she asked. "I lost twenty of the thirty-eight pounds that I gained with this meatball! My old clothes are starting to fit right again, so for me, that's exciting." 

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Sonny pulled her down onto his lap. "You're right," he nodded, letting out a deep sigh. "Sorry, babe." 

"Tony, start the grill," Noelle ordered. "And find the lighter for this citronella candles. The girls get eaten alive by all the bugs!" 

"Yes, dear," Antonio mumbling, rolling his eyes as he got up from his chair. "Sorry, sweetpea. Grandpa has to make lunch for everyone."

As her parents went into the house, Sonny and Isabella sat together on the chair; Ellie nestled with them, as she gnawed on her little fist. "I'm glad we're spendin' the night here," Sonny sighed, as Ellie grunted. "The more I'm near the city, the more I obsess over this damn exam." 

Isabella nodded, "Well today, we'll play with the kids," she started. "Maybe go for a dip in the pool and tire them all out, so that we can crack open a bottle of Maman's fancy wine. Or something a bit stronger.." 

"Spike the breast milk, while you're at it?" he teased, as Ellie squealed. 

"You know, we don't have to go to the ball," Isabella shrugged. "We could always send the girls here or to your parents that night. Or any night for that matter, so that it can be just us. We could order take out and stay in our pajamas..." 

Sonny smirked, "Binge watch The Real Housewives?" 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "We all know how much you stan for the show," she sighed, shaking her head. "Are you going to be alright, sitting out here with this one? I still have food to prepare, if I want to feed all of you before the crying begins." 

................

The results came in on a Friday, sometime between arresting a perp and interrogating the man. After eight hours of questioning and processing the paper work, Sonny made his way home to Queens for a much needed home cooked meal. The girls were all upstairs watching a movie, save for Ellie, who sat in her high chair. Happy to have the weekend off from work and school, Sonny and Isabella were determined to do very little that weekend. 

"I'm glad my students are at the age, where I don't have to baby them anymore," Isabella sighed, as Sonny ate a bowl of spaghetti at the counter. "And that I only have four periods instead of six, which means I can come home before dismissal." 

"Aren't you lucky," he teased, as she set the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. "At least you get all those breaks throughout the year. I gotta save up personal and vacation time, if I wanna bring home the bacon." 

Isabella made face, as he pushed away from the counter, making his way over to the table. Holding the bowl in one hand, Sonny flipped through the stack of mail with the other. 

"God, we get so much junk!" he shook his head, flipping through catalogues, offers for auto loans and coupons for local eateries. "Oh look, my favorite piece of mail! The credit card bill!" 

"Which hasn't been used much, in the last eight months," Isabella shot back. "We only used it to buy Siena's soccer jersey and shoes in the last month." 

He snorted, tossing the bill to the side, before shoving a forkful of pasta into his mouth. Looking down at the next piece of mail, nearly made him choke. 

"Sonny!" 

Isabella quickly rushed over to him, patting his back as he coughed and sputtered. "What the hell?" Isabella asked, as he tried to catch his breath. "Are you alright?" 

Sonny nodded, pointing frantically to the letter on the table. "It's..." he wheezed, as Isabella looked down. 

"Your exam results!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh my god! They finally sent them out! Open it! Open it, Sonny!" 

Setting the bowl on the table, Sonny picked up the envelope and stared at it for a moment; the NYPD emblem, followed by the typed address that was his full name. 

_Mr. Dominick Carisi Jr._

With shaky hands, Sonny turned the envelope over and ripped the seal open, slowly pulling the letter out. Glancing at Iz, who nodded in encouragement, Sonny unfolded the paper and quickly scanned the text for the answer he had been waiting for. 

"Shit, where's my phone?" Sonny huffed, tossing the paper down on the table. 

"What does it say?" Isabella asked, picking the paper up, as he moved around the kitchen to find his phone. 

Rummaging through his suit jacket, which had been discarded over the back of a chair, Sonny found his phone. "It says to log in and my results should be there," he muttered, coming back over to her. 

Typing in the web address in, Sonny quickly logged into his account and waited for it to load. "All that, just to tell you to go online?" she asked, shaking her head. "Why can't they email you?" 

"I don't know," Sonny shrugged, trying to find where he need to go, on mobile setting browser. "Ah! Here we go!" 

After a few minutes of waiting, Sonny took a deep breath, as his thumb hovered over the screen. "Hey," Isabella said, laying her hands on his shoulders. "No matter what, I'm proud of you. Promotion or not, you're still the smartest man I know. And the best detective NYPD has ever been lucky to have." 

With that, Sonny clicked on the result list and waited for it to load. Scrolling through the list, Sonny found his name and scrolled over to the exam score. 

"I passed!" Sonny gasped, reading his score. "Holy shit, I passed!" 

"YES!" Isabella cried, throwing her arms around him. "You passed!" 

Laughing in shock, Sonny stared at the screen a bit longer, before Isabella pulled him down for a kiss. "I told you!" she exclaimed, tugging lightly at his shirt. "See? I knew you were going to pass!" 

He nodded, "I know, I know," he said. "I just... wow. I'm gonna be a Sarge. Never though I'd see the day.'

Giggling as he pulled her in for a kiss, Isabella hugged him tightly. "We're going to celebrate this weekend!" she said, when they pulled apart. "Cake and your favorite meal. All the stops for you, Sergeant Carisi." 

"Lookin' forward to it," Sonny said, as she giggled again. "Alright, let's get to bed. I've got a lot of phone calls to make tomorrow, and you just promised me dinner and a cake." 

 

 


	89. there's ice in my pants.

Sonny suppressed a groan, as the next episode of Scandal started up on the television; the world of dirty politics and Olivia Pope, had suddenly became a fixation of his girlfriend's attention that afternoon. 

"Iz, how much more of this are we gonna watch?" he whined, as she cuddled up next to him in bed. "I'm so tried of Olivia and her fuckin' the President and Noel Crane..." 

"You watched  _Felicity?"_ Isabella asked, looking up at him with a frown. "I didn't take you for a teenage soap opera, kinda guy." 

He blushed, "My Ma watched it a lot with Gina and Theresa," he shrugged. 'I heard all about bastard in passin', since it was all they could talk about for a week until the next episode aired." 

Snorting, Isabella turned her attention back to the television. "We're watching this, because I want to catch up before the final season starts," she said. "And, because we always watch what you wanna watch." 

"How about, we don't watch anythin' and we have sex?" Sonny suggested. "I mean.. that's a show I'd like to watch, Iz. You, all sweaty and flushed, moanin' my name." 

"Sonny," she whined, as his hands trailed down her back and under the waist band of her panties. "C'mon. We had  _plenty_ of sex since you came home yesterday." 

Sonny kissed her cheek, as his hand groped her backside. "You haven't complained before," he said, lips trailing down to her neck. "What's stoppin' ya now?" 

Isabella huffed, "I have an ice pack down there," she said, which made him pause. 

"A what?" he asked, moving to hover over her. "Ice pack? Why?" 

"Because," Isabella blushed, her eyes moving to the freckles on his bare chest. "I'm a little sore down there, especially after that last round on the bathroom floor...." 

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sonny was sitting up in bed, looking down at her with a mix of worry and panic. "Iz, " he started, shaking his head. "Why...why didn't ya say anythin' earlier? You let me screw ya into the bathroom floor, all while bein' in pain?" 

Isabella shook her head, "It didn't start hurting until after we got up and took a shower," she insisted, moving to take his hands into her own. "Sonny..." 

"Oh god, I hurt ya," Sonny groaned, shaking his head in disbelief. "I hurt ya and I didn't even know it!" 

"Sonny... Sonny.." Isabella said, sitting up as well now. "Dominick!" 

Sonny stopped babbling and looked at her, still worried and ashamed. "You _didn't_ hurt me," Isabella stressed, placing her hands on either side of his face. "You didn't. If anything, I would've told you to stop and you know that." 

He nodded slowly, as if he were still unsure. Bringing him down for a kiss, Isabella rested her forehead against his. "You didn't hurt me," she said, this time softer. "You just have a huge dick and a knack for being a horndog." 

"Iz," Sonny let out a startled snort, as she giggled. After a few seconds, they both sobered up. "Is.. is there anything I can do for you? I can run out to the store and get somethin' for the pain.." 

"The ice pack is fine," Isabella said. "I took some ibuprofen earlier. We'll just have to take a break from penetrative sex for a few days. Maybe invest in a economy size bottle of lube, especially if we're going to be having marathons of sex. Rough sex at that." 

"I'll get some the next time I'm at the store," Sonny promised. "Later, I'll draw you a bubble bath with those bath salts. Cook you're favorite meal for dinner, while you soak. Whatever you want, Iz." 

Isabella nodded, stealing another kiss. "You're so good to me, Sonny," she said quietly, as he held her. "Broken vagina's or not." 

Sonny snorted, tucking his face into her shoulder. "That's because  _you've_ been good to me," he responded, lifting his head back up to look at her. "Vagina and all." 

"For that, you can definitely get dressed and go get me something," Isabella sighed, rolling away from him. 

"Aw c'mon! It's rainin' outside!" Sonny pouted, as she focused on the television. "Fine! What do ya want? Starbucks? A six dollar coffee, which I could easily make for you here, for free?" 

"McDonalds," Isabella said, keeping her eyes on the television. "Chicken nuggets and french fries," she said, turning to look at him. "And, I want an M&M McFlurry- extra M&M's." 

He rolled his eyes, "You want me to get you junk, meanwhile I can cook you real food?" he asked, getting out of bed to find clothes. "Iz, I'm hurt. Ronald McDonald's got nothin' on Sonny Carisi." 

Isabella shrugged, "Don't forget the extra M&M's," she repeated, as he slipped his feet into a pair of worn sneakers. "If you do this, I'll give you something extra naughty in return." 

"I doubt it," Sonny said, leaning across the bed to kiss her goodbye. "Considerin' I broke ya vagina." 

Scoffing, Sonny chuckled as he headed out of the bedroom and down the hall to the front door. "Don't forget to sanitize that thing, Iz!" he yelled, the jingling of the keys echoing through the apartment. "I don't want to see it next to the ice cream later!" 

....................

"How ya feelin"?" 

Isabella, living off of thirty minutes of sleep, glared at her husband. Evelina, their two week old daughter, lounged in her arms suckling at breast. In the other room, Carina was screeching at the top of her lungs, doing another rendition of "You're Welcome" as Moana played yet again. For the  _eight_ consecutive day in a row. 

The lack of sleep, followed by having a newborn sucking from her breasts, mixed with the headache and the burning sensation between her legs, had put Isabella on edge. 

Seeing the withering glare he was receiving, Sonny nodded and took a step back; standing in the hallway, just outside their bedroom door. 

"I'll go get another ice pack," he nodded. "And, I'll see if I can get someone to take Carina for the night." 

After that, ice packs were always on standby in the Carisi household. 

....................

"How do your balls feel?" 

Sonny groaned, as he stat up in bed, propped against what looked like a million pillows. Isabella looked over at him, trying her best not to laugh; between the medication given before the procedure and the painkiller that was prescribed, Sonny was a  _mess._ Hair sticking up on one side, followed by the doped up movements, Sonny was stuck in that in-between of alert and out of his mind. 

"Frozen," he slurred, his head lolling to the side. "My bawls ah frozen." 

Isabella sniggered, "You poor thing," she pouted, as he closed his eyes and groaned. "Do you want more ice?" 

He shook his head slowly, "Nah, they'll fall awf.." he sighed, his eyes rolling shut. "Ice bawls." 

"How about you lay down now?" Isabella suggested, moving to kneel up on the bed. "It's getting late and you've had quite the day, baby." 

"Kay." 

Managing to get him up, Isabella chucked a few pillows towards the end of the bed, before getting Sonny to lay down. "Good?" she asked, as he sighed deeply. 

Sonny nodded, "Good," Isabella said, pulling the blankets back. "Let me just take a quick look...." Examining the patched up incision site, Isabella removed the melted ice pack. "I'm going to get you another pack..." 

"Nooooooo.." Sonny whined, shifting slightly on the bed. "Gimmie." 

"This one is melted, Sonny," Isabella said, waving the pack at him. "Give me a few minutes and I'll put a new pack in your pants." 

Grumbling as she got off the bed, Sonny continued to whine as she went downstairs to get another ice pack. "Here we go," Isabella said, when she returned. "An ice pack for you!" 

Pulling his pants and underwear down again, Isabella gently laid the pack on the bandaged area. With his pants back in place, Isabella quickly went into the bathroom to wash her hands, before crawling back into bed. Carefully, minding her belly, Isabella rolled onto her side to face him. 

"Get some sleep, Sonny," she said gently, as he yawned. "Tomorrow, you'll feel much better than you do right now." 

"Elsa...." he slurred. 

Isabella waited, watching as Sonny fought through the haze to speak again. "She's a bitch," he huffed, his eyes opening slowly, only to close again. "A blizzard in ma pants, Iz." 

Snorting, Isabella pulled the blankets up to his chin. "I'll talk to her tomorrow," she promised, as Sonny hummed. "Go to bed now." 

"Fuckin' Elsa," Sonny yawned again, as Isabella turned the bedside lamp off. "Love ya, Izzie Whizzie." 

"I love you, too," she said, settling down for bed. 

........................

Sonny quickly rushed upstairs and down the hall to the bedroom, where Isabella could be heard cursing in the bathroom. Pushing open the door, Sonny stepped inside and closed the door behind him. 

"I got the ice," he said, holding up the wrapped pack in his hand. 

Grabbing it, Isabella quickly removed the hand towel and shoved the pack down the front her pants, letting out a mix between a cry of pain and a sigh of relief. Closing her eyes, Isabella kept her hands clenched at her sides, trying to breathe through the mixture of pain and icy-cold. She then opened her eyes and looked at Sonny, who looked slightly amused. 

"Don't," she warned, glaring at him. 

"I wasn't gonna say anythin'!" he insisted, holding his hands up. 

The look she shot him, a mixture of pain and disbelief, made him sigh. "I mean... you went and got a full wax at some place you've never been to before!" he started. "Why would you do that, Iz?" 

She grumbled, hobbling past him and into their bedroom. "I wanted to change things up a bit," she muttered, carefully crawling into bed. "I was tired of shaving down there every other week and missing spots.." 

"Iz, I don't care if you got hair down there," he said. "I mean.. you've been keepin' it real down there for almost eighteen years. I never once complained about it, in all the times I've been down there.." 

"I just wanted a change," Isabella pouted. "I'm tired of shaving, Sonny. Waxing seemed like a good idea at the time, but I didn't expect to get this awful rash!" 

He sighed, "Maybe you're allergic to the wax," he suggested, as she pouted. "Ah, Iz. You crazy girl." 

Whining, Isabella tucked her face into the front of Sonny's shirt, as he wrapped his arms around her. Dropping a kiss to the top of her head, Sonny chuckled. "How about you ice ya bits for a little while?" he suggested, as she looked up at him. "I'll go clean up downstairs and check on the kids before I come back up." 

"Alright," she nodded. 

"When I'm done, I'll slather ya up with some cream or whatever ya have in the medicine cabinet," he offered. "If it looks or feels worse tomorrow, I'll call the doc and see if he can get ya in right away." 

Isabella pouted, as she sprawled out on the bed; the lumpy icepack evident as she laid there. "No more waxin'," Sonny said, shaking his finger at her. "Leave that shit for your eyebrows, Iz." 

 


	90. field trip

"Now, both of ya have to be really good," Sonny said, as he knelt before the two little girls. "The place we're goin' to, ain't a playground. You keep ya hands to yourself and you mind your manners,  _capisce?"_

Evelina nodded, while Carina whined. "Daddy, it's Zio Rafi!" she pouted, stomping her boot clad foot against the floor. "He gives us sweets and lets us spin in his office chair!" 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "Yeah, but today we can't stay long," he said, as they stepped into the elevator. "We're supposed to go food shoppin', since Mommy's at home takin' a nap." 

"Dada," Evelina tugged on his jean-clad leg. "'Ookies?" 

"Yeah, I'll get ya cookies," he promised, as they reached the floor that Rafael's office was on. "Alright girls, hold hands and walk with me." 

They made their way around the corner and to the door, that led to Rafael's office. At the desk, just right outside, Carmen was busy typing away at her computer. When she glanced away from the screen, she broke out into a big smile. 

"Is that Carina and Evelina Carisi?" she asked, which made the girls squeal. "Look how BIG you two got!" 

Making their way around the desk, the girls swarmed Carmen, demanding hugs and kisses. "You gots candy for us, Zia Carmi?" Carina asked, batting her eyelashes at the woman. 

"Carina.." Sonny started, his tone filled with warning. 

Carmen snorted, "It just so happens that..." she said, reaching into a drawer behind her chair. "I picked up some pops this morning, on my way in. Something told me that I'd be getting two, very cute, visitors today." 

Squealing, the girls reached for their lollypops, which made Carmen giggle. "Ah, what do you two say?" Sonny asked, as the girls turned to run back to him. 

"Thank you Zia Carmi!" Carina giggled, as Evelina squealed. "Can we sees Zio Rafi now?" 

"You can head on in, Sonny," Carmen nodded, dropping the professional title she usually greeted him in. "He's not busy, even though he  _claims_ that he is." 

Rolling his eyes, Sonny walked over to the door and knocked twice, before pushing it open. The girls took off running in, much to Sonny's horror, as they rushed around the big oak desk to the man behind it. 

"Zio Rafi! Zio Rafi!!" they cried, startling Rafael. 

"Wh-who let two little girls in here?" he asked, trying to hide the growing smile from appearing. "Especially with sticky candy?" 

Carina giggled, as Rafael picked her up, "Zia Carmi did!" she said, as Rafael kissed her cheek. "And Daddy!" 

He snorted, "I guess I'll have to fire Zia Carmi and talk to Zia Liv about your Dad," he joked, doing the same to Evelina. "Wow, you two got so big!" 

"Compared to how much they eat?" Sonny snorted, setting his backpack down on a chair. "Iz is makin' me do the food shoppin' today, since they've eaten everythin' but the cleanin' supplies." 

"And you willingly decided to have another," Rafael sighed, as Evelina tried to reach for the fancy pen on his desk. "Did you bring your case notes? I'm working on the Harris case now, since I don't have court today." 

Nodding, Sonny dug through the backpack for the folder, while Rafael entertained the four year old and one year old. "How are you doing in school?" he asked, as Carina sat on Rafael's lap. "Do you know all your shapes, colors and numbers?" 

Carina giggled, "I know all of them!" she nodded. "Mommy and Daddy make me practice every night!" 

"Good girl!" Rafael nodded. "And what about you Lina? Last I heard, you were throwing blocks at your friends and dumping your toys all over the place." 

"Jesus, do you get their daily reports too?" Sonny asked, setting the file on the desk. 

Rafael snorted, "Their Mother is one of my closest friends," he said, which made Sonny snort. "And, Noelle talks about them, when we have brunch once a month." 

Sonny sighed, "It's kinda weird that you hang out with my Mother-in-Law," he admitted. "She doesn't even ask me to brunch and I'm married into her family." 

"I'm probably more easier on the eyes," Rafael teased, which made Carina giggle. "Alright, let's see if your Dad did his homework." 

Setting Carina down on the floor, Rafael went to do the same to Evelina, only to stop when she began to fuss. "No!" she cried, wiggling in his grasp. "Up!" 

"Okay, okay," Rafael chuckled, placing the toddler back onto his lap. "Just.. don't grab anything with those sticky hands, Lina." 

"Daddy! Look at the cars!" Carina gasped, as she looked out the window. "They're so little! I can fit my barbies in them!" 

As Sonny went to Carina, Rafael managed to flip through the notes Sonny left on his report, while bouncing Evelina on his knee. "Looks to be in order," he nodded, as Sonny came back over to the desk. "I'll add this to what Liv and Amanda sent over. Still waiting for Fin to send me his notes, so if I don't see him before five, I'll be sure to flood his inbox with messages." 

Carina skipped back over to Sonny, reaching for the backpack. "I gots pictures for Zio Rafi," she announced, as Sonny tried to stop her from pulling the entire bag down. "Zio Rafi, I gots pictures for you!" 

"Sorry," Sonny winced, as he pulled out a few colorful pieces of paper from the bag. "If I don't bring everyone their picture, I'm in the dog house with everyone. From the wife to the littlest one."

"That's cuz Mommy says we should bring pressies to everyone," Carina said, as she came around the desk to hand the artwork to Rafael. "And I bring pressies to my peoples, Daddy." 

Rafael chuckled, as he flipped through the drawings; scribbles of stick people and what looked like a four year old's depiction of a court room and the squad room. "These are extraordinary," Rafael concluded, looking at Carina. "I'm going to hang them up somewhere in my office. And maybe I'll take the one with me in the court room, rocking lime green hair, and put that on my fridge at home." 

Carina giggled, "Well, we better get goin' girls," Sonny said, looking down at his watch. "Before Mommy calls and starts yellin' at us." 

"Nooooooo! Carina and Evelina whined, burrowing themselves closer to Rafael. "Can't we stays?" Carina asked. 

"Zio Rafi has a lot of homework to do," Rafael said, looking between the two girls. "He could get a lot of trouble if he doesn't finish it on time." 

They both pouted, "I'll call your Mom later or tomorrow," Rafael nodded. "If you guys aren't doing anything this weekend, maybe I'll come out to your house for the day. Or you can come to mine and we can go to the park." 

"Daddy, can we go to Zio Rafi's house?" Carina asked, turning to look at Sonny. "Please? He can makes us ropa beef and rice, and.. and..." 

" _Arroz con Leche,"_ Rafael smiled, which made Carina squeal. "I will make all of that, if Mommy says it's alright. If not this weekend, maybe another." 

Giving in, the girls each gave their Zio a kiss on the cheek. "Love you, Zio Rafi," Carina said, as she made her way over to Sonny. 

Standing, Rafael shifted Evelina in his arms and made his way around the desk, following Sonny and Carina to the door. "Ya know," Sonny said, as he slipped the backpack back on his shoulders. "I never thought I'd see the day, that you would be willing to spend your weekend with kids. Let alone two little girls." 

"Ah, people change, Sonny," Rafael shrugged, as he tickled Evelina lightly. "Six years ago, I would've shuddered at the mere thought of it. Now, Liv and Amanda's kids and yours? They're not so bad. I don't think I'd want any of my own, mind you. But, I do like being an Uncle." 

"Well, they adore you," Sonny shrugged, as Carina held Sonny's hand. "And like Liv's always said. Blood isn't the only thing that makes a family, Raf." 

Nodding in agreement, Rafael gave Evelina another kiss on the cheek, before handing her over to Sonny. "Call my Mommy," Carina said, nodding her little head. "She'll be awake in... five hours." 

Both Sonny and Rafael snorted, "I'll call her," he promised, as Sonny shifted Evelina in his arms. "If anything, I'll call your Dad later and if he say's it's alright, than I'll see you two on Saturday." 

"I might just take ya up on that offer," Sonny admitted. "They're gettin' bored at home, since Iz sleeps most of the weekends away." 

Saying goodbye to Rafael and Carmen, the Carisi Trio made their way out of the ADA's office and around the corner to the elevator bank, chatting a mile a minute. Chuckling to himself, Rafael shook his head and stepped back into his office, closing the door behind him. 

.......................

"Hey, Carisi! You got a visitor!" 

Sonny frowned, as he looked up from his phone, making his way across the squad room. At his desk, the familiar red-hair that had been streaked with hot pink, sat in his chair. 

"Evelina Marie," he started, as the teenager looked up at him. "What are you doin' here? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Dad, school's over for the day," Evelina said, as he frowned. "It's after three."

He nodded, "Alright, alright," he sighed. "That doesn't explain why you're here though, Lina. You're school is in Queens. This is Manhattan."

Evelina snorted, "Wow, Dad," she shook her head slowly. "You're better at geography than you let on!"

"Evelina..."

"Lina! What are you doing here?" Olivia asked, as she came out of her office. "Your Dad didn't mention anything about you coming up to visit us!"

Sonny snorted, "That's because I didn't know," he said, giving his daughter a look. "She was about to tell me, while bein' a wise ass with her back talk."

The teenager rolled her eyes, while Liv whistled. "Well, I'm gonna just..." she pointed to the office behind her. "Paperwork."

"Aren't you happy to see your kid, Dad?" Evelina asked, as Sonny moved around the desk to start going through the drawers.

"Lina, I'm always happy to see ya," he said, moving the chair over to get to the other set of drawers. "But, ya mouth is gettin' a little to smart there. What did I tell ya about talkin' back?"

Evelina sighed, "And, you still haven't told me why you're here," he continued, rifling through the stack of folders and notebooks.

"Because Carina's having  _another_ meltdown, over some stupid paper she has to write," the fourteen year old scoffed. "I rather not listen to her cry to Mom about it, when we all know she's gonna get an A." 

"You should be nicer to your sister, Lina," Sonny said, looking up at her. "She did help you with that science report, that you  _forgot_ to do. The night before it was due, no less." 

"That's because she's Saint Carina," Evelina snorted. "Always having to save everyone from failure." 

Sonny sighed, closing the drawer to his desk. "Why are you so bratty, Lina?" he asked, standing up. "What happened to the sweet little girl, who wanted hugs and kisses from everyone?" 

Evelina blinked, which made him sigh. "Never mind.." he said, looking under the stacks of papers. 

"What are you even looking for?" Evelina asked, as Sonny cursed under his breath. "And, I'm so telling Mom you said shit in front of me." 

"Evelina!" 

She giggled, "Don't say that word!" he hissed. "And, I'm lookin' for my car keys." 

There was a jingle, as Evelina pulled them out of her pocket. "I had them the whole time," she grinned, as her Father glared. "Just wanted to see if you were going to clean your workspace, while looking for them." 

Taking the keys from her, Sonny opened the side drawer and dropped a few files in, before locking it shut. "Let's go," he grumbled, picking up his travel mug and work bag. "I'm takin' ya home, before someone in here corrupts ya even more." 

........................

Sonny knocked on the door, before leaning against the frame, watching with a smile as the woman behind the desk looked up from her laptop. 

"Well, well, well," she smirked. "It's not everyday I get a handsome NYPD Sergeant, knocking on my door. What can I help ya with?" 

"I'm here to take ya home," Sonny said, as he made his way into the office, closing the door behind him. "A "child-free" home, as of twenty-minutes ago." 

Isabella giggled, as he looked around the office. "All the kids got to their final destinations?" she asked, as he looked at the picture frames on the shelves; a mixture of the kids, along with herself and Sonny, their family and friends. 

"Carina's with Brennan's family this weekend, while Evelina went with Theo to Mom and Dad's," Sonny sighed. "Antonio picked Ellie up at school early, so she's gonna have a good ol' time with Frenchie this weekend." 

"And Siena?" 

He sat on the edge of her desk, moving the stack of files over. "Dropped her off at Rafael's office," he shrugged. "She's currently helping Carmen alphabetize the rolodex, which is probably filled with take out and Barba's tailors."

His wife snorted, "I don't know what surprised me more: the fact that she wanted to spend the weekend with Rafael, or the fact that he was totally game for it," she said, shaking her head. "I figured Carina would want to spend the weekend, learning the ways of the law from her Uncle."

"Ah, you know Si," Sonny shrugged. "They're gonna see a show tonight and head to the MET tomorrow. Then there was somethin' about his Ma comin' out to teach her how to make some Cuban dish and god knows what. They're both nerds, those two. Broadway and Art. "

"Didn't stop you from dating me," Isabella reminded him. "All those dates to the MET and the MoMA, all while charming the layers of clothes off my back."

Sonny rolled his eyes, "I'm just glad that we have all these options," Isabella said, shrugging. "I feel bad sending them to our parents all the time. It's nice to know that our friends, their Aunts and Uncles, are wiling to take our crazy children in for the weekend. Amanda already offered to have Evelina and Ellie spend the Friday night at her place, since Jess has been asking her non-stop for weeks now."

"Fin wants Theo for a night, just to play video games," Sonny chuckled. "I had to remind him, several times, that Theo's only six. His idea of fun video games are the lego ones and old school Spyro the Dragon."

"Which he knows by heart, since I taught him how to play," Isabella said, smirking with pride.

He snorted, "Yeah, well..." he shook his head. "Are ya almost done here? I figured we could stop and get somethin' to eat on the way home."

Closing her laptop, Isabella unplugged it and grabbed her work bag. "Just give me a few minutes to pack up and we can get out of here," she said, standing up.

As she moved around her office, moving files back into the cabinet and packing up her belongings, Sonny sat at her desk and took everything; the framed diplomas and certification awards on the wall, along with posters of different historical events. The wall of bookcases, from floor to ceiling, that held history textbooks, novels and little artifacts. Her desk was neat, compared to his own, with a few contraptions that held her office supplies and picture frames. A little piece of home had been scattered around the office, as the faces of their five children were on display; from newborn to the present. On her desk, there was the most recent picture of their children, taken on Mother's Day that year. Isabella had one similar, except this time, itw as the four girls with their newborn brother, taken the day he came home from the hospital. 

"Ready?" Isabella asked, buttoning her coat up. "Whatcha lookin' at, hot stuff?"

"You got a lot of pictures," he said, nodding to the frames on the desk. "I wish I could have a bunch of these at work. I gotta hide a lot of my pictures, just incase some perp manages to sneak a peek and get some crazy idea.."

Isabella pouted, "Thank god you have a smart phone," she said. "And the fact that you uploaded so many old pictures onto it, ever since you got a new one."

He shrugged, "I just wish I could at least have a one picture on display," he admitted, looking back at the photos on the desk. "I mean, you even have our Weddin' picture. Look at this lil' punk! Marryin' the most beautiful girl in the world."

"Ah, but what a handsome punk he is," Isabella teased.

"Can't believe that picture's sixteen years old already," Sonny shook his head. "Now, I'm startin' to go white at the temples and I'm gettin' a belly."

Sitting down on his lap, Isabella wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love your little belly and your little white hairs," she murmured, bumping her nose against his. "You might've been a punk sixteen years ago, but you're still my favorite punk ever. No one's ever taken your place and they never will."

Sonny nodded slowly, as she leaned in to kiss him. "Let's go home," Isabella whispered, resting her forehead against his. "I want to enjoy my child-free weekend, with my punk of a husband."

"Lead the way, Mrs. Carisi," Sonny teased, as she stood up.

Taking his hand, they made their way to the door of the office, where Isabella flipped the lights off. Locking up, she pocketed the keys and took her husband by the hand. Together, they made their way down the hall and towards the staircase, that would take them home.  

 


	91. no tolerance for pain.

Isabella limped into the bustling precinct of Manhattan's SVU, her wet boots squelching along the floor. Hearing the familiar sound of her boyfriend's voice, made her want to cry even more, as she weaved around the floor plan. 

Amanda was the first to spot her, turning her head away from the computer she and Fin were surrounded by. "Isabella!" she said quickly, before her smile slipped from her face. "Oh god....SONNY!" 

Near the board that had been covered with suspects and victims photos, Olivia, Sonny and Rafael were in the middle of arguing over their current case. As soon as Amanda's yell rang out, Sonny quickly turned to look at her, before his eyes moved to Isabella. 

"IZ!" 

He was off the desk and on his feet instantly, rushing to her. "What happened?" was the first thing out of his mouth, as reached her. "Oh my god, Iz... ya bleedin!" 

Olivia was right there, as Sonny pulled out a chair for her to sit in. "No, no.." she shook her head. "Let's go somewhere private... I have a first aid kit in my office." 

Together, they walked Isabella into Olivia's office, while Amanda went off to get water for them. "What happened?" Sonny asked, as Isabella slowly lowered herself onto the sofa. "You're... all cut up and hobblin'." 

"I fell..." she whispered, as Sonny inspected her hands; the palms scratched up and slightly bloody. "On the ice. I was going up the front steps and I..." 

"Damn city has all this money and they can't even salt the sidewalks and steps right," Olivia muttered, coming over with the kit. 

Amanda knocked on the door, before stepping in with a pitcher filled with water. "Should I call a bus?" she asked, as Olivia took the pitcher from her. 

As the women talked in hushed tones, Sonny carefully helped Isabella out of her jacket, before reaching for the first aid kit. "Did you hit your head?" he asked, using the gauze to dab at her chin. 

"I don't think so," Isabella hissed, trying to move her head away. "Wouldn't I be knocked out for that?" 

"I mean.. maybe," he shrugged, as he pushed up the sleeves of her shirt to check her arms and elbows. "Ya know what.. I'm gonna try to patch ya up, but then we're goin' to the hospital." 

At that, Isabella began to cry. "Shhhh," Sonny said soothingly, as he wrapped his arm around her. "I just wanna be safe, Iz. If ya hit ya head, I wanna make sure that you're not walkin' around with a concussion or worse." 

Olivia and Amanda were there in an instant; Olivia taking a seat on the other side of Isabella, while Amanda sat on the little coffee table across from her. "Hey... it's alright," Olivia said, placing her hand on Isabella's back. "We all fall down sometimes, Isabella. I'll call the buildings maintenance office and have them put extra salt down outside..." 

"So many people saw me.." Isabella hiccuped, shaking her head. "I'm so embarrassed..." 

"Oh, Iz," Sonny sighed. "You know how many times I've fallen on those steps? Too many to count. Lots of people do, in fact. Hell, Fin almost fell down the other day on 'em." 

Amanda shot him a look, which screamed "you're not helping!!", before she looked back at Isabella. "I could call someone to come clean ya up," she offered. "I mean.. Sonny's a good cop, but he can't bandage a paper cut for shit." 

Sonny glared at her, before looking back at Isabella. She sniffled, "I just wanna go home," she hiccuped. "Everything hurts and I wanna go home." 

"Take the day," Olivia said, as Isabella rested her head against the front of Sonny's shirt. "Go to the hospital to get her checked out and take the rest of the day and call me tomorrow." 

Nodding, Sonny went to get his things, while Olivia and Amanda helped Isabella back into her coat. "Take these" Olivia said, holding out the stack of gauze pads. "Don't put the gloves on though, since you could get fibers into the cuts.." 

"Thanks," Isabella sniffled, as Sonny came back into Olivia's office; his coat buttoned up and work bag slung across his chest. 

"C'mon,  _Mimma,"_ Sonny said softly, as he helped her back up to her feet. "Let's get ya cleaned up and make sure nothin' is broken.." 

As they hobbled back out into the precinct, Olivia and Amanda stood in the doorway of the office watching them as they went. Sonny, ever so protective of the women in his life, had his arm wrapped around her waist. 

"Easy, easy.." they heard him say, as they walked. "If you start to feel funny, ya gotta tell me. Alright?" 

"I get the feelin' that she's got a low tolerance for pain," Amanda said, shaking her head. "Poor girl probably cries at a simple paper cut..." 

Olivia snorted, shaking her head. "Not everyone's tough like you, Amanda," she said, heading back into her office.

................

"Iz... do you plan on rippin' ya teeth out or somethin'?" Sonny asked, eyeing the drugstore dental kit on the bathroom counter. "I mean.. for someone who cries when they bite their own tongue... I don't think you'd be able to rip a tooth out.." 

Isabella glared, as she held the ice pack against the left side of her face. "Babe, just call the dentist," Sonny stressed, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I mean, clearly you're in pain and you've been tryin' to push through it. Which, is impressive." 

"I'm fine!" 

He rolled his eyes, "Iz, don't bullshit me," he said, reaching for the phone on the nightstand. "Ya probably broke a tooth or somethin'." 

"I don't have time to get dental work done, Sonny!" Isabella whined, as he found the number to their dentist. "I have a party to plan for Carina's birthday, which is in three weeks! I can't schedule dentist appointments, especially if Dr. Horowitz wants to do a root canal! That's three fucking visits!" 

"Well, I don't know what to tell ya," Sonny shrugged, putting the phone to his ear. "Just.. go and see what's goin' on in that mouth of yours." 

As he stepped out into the hallway, talking to the receptionist on the other end of the phone, Isabella pressed the ice pack harder against her face. The pain radiated along the back upper portion of her jaw, to her head and down into her ear. After a few minutes, Sonny came back into their bedroom, with Carina nestled against his hip. 

"Get dressed," he ordered. "You've got an appointment in an hour." 

Relieved, Isabella dropped the ice pack and let the floodgates roll; crying in both relief and in pain, as Sonny and Carina watched her. 

"Mama's alright," he said, as Carina screeched. "She's probably gonna get some good stuff, before the doctor fixes her up." 

After x-rays and looking at the root of the problem, Dr. Horowitz was able to find the perfect solution to Isabella's pain. 

"A wisdom tooth?!" Sonny exclaimed, as the woman showed them the x-rays. "Iz... how..." 

"That shouldn't be there," Isabella mumbled, pointing to the tooth in question on the screen. "I had them all taken out when I eighteen...." 

"Well, whoever did that surgery, left this little guy in," Dr. Horowitz said. "It's impacted, which means it's pushing down on your molars back here. I'm just surprised it took this long for the pain to start, Isabella. You're very lucky the roots for these molars aren't compromised. Otherwise, we'd be looking at an extraction, two root canals and crowns." 

Isabella groaned, "I think Leibowitz is in today," the woman said, looking down at her watch. "If he can, we might be able to get that tooth out today. That way, you don't have to wait the weekend and make another trip next week." 

The couple glanced at each other, while Carina giggled from her spot on Sonny's lap. "Hey... either way, ya gonna be in pain," he said, seeing the fear in Isabella's eyes. "But, at least you'll be drugged up and better by the middle of next week." 

An hour and a half later, Isabella was in the backseat of a squad car, heading home for a long weekend of consuming jell-o and pills. "Take the baby, Fin," she heard from Sonny, followed by Carina's giggling. 

"Hey.." Sonny said, coming into view. "Ya ready to come out?" 

"Sonnnnyyyyy," she slurred, the gauze making her drool. "Wut hahhhpeeened?" 

Unbuckling her, Sonny carefully and slowly, pulled her out of the backseat of the car. "Ya had a tooth pulled," he said, as they started into the building. 

She whimpered, "It's alright," he said, as they took the elevator up to the third floor. "You'll take a pill and get into bed. By tomorrow, you'll feel so much better." 

"Baby's in the playpen," Fin said, when they stepped into the apartment. "I'll wait until she's settled, before leaving." 

"Thanks, man," Sonny said, nodding. "Give me a few minutes to get her drugged up and in bed." 

Going through the procedure of taking the pain killer and antibiotic, Sonny had Isabella changed into pajamas and tucked into bed, within ten minutes. "Sleep," he whispered, as she groaned. "When ya wake up, I'll make some mashed potatoes for dinner." 

By early Sunday morning, Isabella was still swollen and bruised in the face, but feeling somewhat better. And while she still cried over the dull ache in her jaw, and being unable to eat anything other than soft food, she did feel better. 

"Don't laugh," she mumbled, applying a cool compress to her cheek. "It still hurts." 

"I believe ya," Sonny nodded, as he folded one of Carina's tops. "Just rest ya mouth." 

.....................

A scream ripped through the house, as Sonny stood in the kitchen on the phone with Noelle. 

"What the hell was that?!" Noelle shouted, as Sonny jumped at the noise. 

"IZ?" he yelled, moving out of the kitchen and into the hallway. "IZ? WHAT HAPPENED?" 

The sound of her crying could be heard from one of the bedrooms. "I WALKED INTO THE DOOR!!!!' she wailed, as Carina and Evelina cried along with her. 

Sighing, Sonny started down the hallway. "She's fine," he said, as Noelle yelled on the other end of the line. 

"FINE?" Noelle shouted. "What's going on over there?" 

"She walked into a door," Sonny said, rolling his eyes. "Probably scared the girls too, since they're all cryin' together." 

Noelle sighed, "Sonny, don't be mean," she warned, weakly at that. "She's pregnant..." 

Stepping into the room that Evelina and Carina shared, he found two little girls and his wife, crying on the floor of the bedroom. A laundry basket laid on its side with the clothes strewn around it. 

"Frenchie, I'll call ya back in a lil' bit," Sonny sighed, taking in the sight before him.

Hanging up, Sonny knelt down before Isabella and moved her hand away from her head. "Ow!" she cried, as he lightly brushed his fingers against the red mark along her hairline. 

"How did ya walk into the door?" he asked, as Carina and Evelina waddled over to them. "You know what... I don't even wanna know." 

Getting Isabella up off the floor, Sonny led her across the hallway to their bedroom; Carina and Evelina hot on their heels. Tucking the three of them into bed, Sonny sat down and looked at the trio. 

"You are too much, Iz," he sighed, shaking his head. 

"You're being a jerk," Isabella pouted, as the girls dozed off next to her. "What if I have a concussion? What if I fall asleep and die?" 

Sonny sighed, "Babe, you're not goin' to die," he said. "I highly doubt that you walked into the door that hard, so I don't think you'll get a concussion. Just.. calm down and relax for a little bit. You got a little red mark on ya head, Iz." 

He then stood up and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, "I gotta call Frenchie back and let her know that you're alright," he sighed, picking up the phone off the nightstand. "Otherwise, she'll drive out here and kick the door down to check on ya." 

 

.........................

The simplest tumbles, paper cuts and bumps, always meant that a cry fest was imminent. Isabella had the lowest tolerance for pain that Sonny had ever seen, when it came to Isabella getting hurt. It didn't matter if it was a paper cut, sustained while reading the morning paper. Or if she walked into doors, tripped over shoes, toys or furniture. If it was something serious, like a headache or a stomachache, it was ten times worse for Isabella. 

Crying, moaning and groaning, begging for death. Even a prayer or promise to God, that she would be a better person if he could just take the pain away. In the two years of dating, before getting married, Sonny had been a witness to it all. 

Childbirth on the other hand, was a whole different level of pain. 

Carina's birth, being the first, was obviously painful for Isabella; the agony of having another human coming out of a place that, initially, had been the size of a lemon. The little bit of tearing that she had sustained, followed by the swelling and bruising that lasted for the first four weeks, were followed with a lot of crying and complaining. 

 _"Just be nice to me, Sonny!"_ Isabella had cried one night, after he refused to give her narcotics for her pain. " _My vagina hurts and I can't do anything about it, but soak in the tub or use ice. That baby Motrin shit isn't working!!!"_

After a month, Sonny began to wonder if they'd ever have another baby. Whenever they argued, over something silly, Isabella would always remind him of the pain she sacrificed her body for. 

 _"Just remember, Sonny! I birthed out a baby and suffered through bleeding, swelling and learning how to poop again, for almost a month!"_ she would yell. " _So don't tell me I don't know anything about pain! You're shoulder hurts, fine! But don't you dare tell me it hurts more than birthing out a baby!"_

It was the same process when Evelina and Siena came along. With Ellie, Sonny didn't joke around about the pain. Nearly losing both her and Ellie was enough to make him realize, that childbirth wasn't a joke. It wasn't that he never cared about her pain, knowing fully that Isabella had always been in pain after delivering their daughters. That was a given, watching his girls come into the world and hearing Isabella scream and curse him through it all.  He just knew that Isabella tended to be a bit overdramatic about everything, along with having a low tolerance for pain, by the third or forth week up to a year after each birth.

 But after Ellie, things were different. 

 _"I feel like such an asshole now,"_ Sonny said, shaking his head.  _"I mean... you sacrificed your health and your body to give birth. And here I am, bein' an asshole. I could've lost ya both this time, Iz. Now that I realize that, I would've missed hearin' ya beg for narcotics and how bad everythin' hurts, months from now..."_

They got lucky with Theo and Sonny didn't say a word, when Isabella cried about chapped nipples and painful bowel movements. He kept his mouth shut and tended to her every single need, from bringing her ice packs to making her food exactly how she asked for it; no matter how ridiculous her requests tended to be. 

At the end of the day, Isabella was alive and that was all that mattered. 

...............

"Only you would sprain your ankle, the first day of your vacation," Sonny snorted. "We've been in St. Augustine for eight hours and you saw the inside of a walk-in clinic, for most of it." 

Isabella pouted, "I didn't see the stupid branch," she whined, as he checked on her ankle. "It's not my fault, someone left it there." 

Sonny snorted, "Babe, it was a root," he corrected her. "And, no one left it there. It's part of a tree, which has been on the property longer than anyone else." 

They had decided to take a long weekend trip to Florida, to celebrate their eighteenth wedding anniversary. With the kids home from school for a three day weekend, Noelle and Angela left their homes to babysit their five grandchildren from Friday night to Monday night. 

"At least we're at the beach for the weekend," Sonny sighed. "We can take it easy, while you keep that ankle propped up..." 

"That doesn't sound romantic, Sonny," Isabella complained. "We're here for our anniversary! Which means, we should be going down to the beach and out to dinner!" 

"Iz, I rather you not stress the fracture and break ya ankle," he pointed out. "We can still be romantic, honey. I'll put that leg over my shoulder when w- OW!" 

Isabella was scowling at him, as Sonny rubbed his thigh. "That's gonna bruise!" he cried, looking down at the red mark on his leg. "Jesus, Iz!" 

"I don't want to spend the entire weekend, fucking!" she snapped. We barely get to go out at home, between work and the kids! I just wanted a weekend, in which we got to be romantic and go out to dinner and to the beach!" 

He sighed, "We can still do all that," he promised. "We just need to be careful, Iz." 

Seeing that she was still upset, Sonny moved to lay out next to her, minding her propped up ankle. "I'll carry ya around," he offered. "I could always find a wagon or somethin' and push you around town. Or a wheelchair."

Isabella tried her best to hide her smile, only to let out a giggle, as he tickled her. "Hey," Sonny said, after a minute. "It's alright to spend sometime inside, ya know. I can be just as romantic in here, as I am outside in the world." 

"Still," Isabella sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "I packed all those bikini's and sexy lingerie for a long weekend, playing on the beach and being unwrapped, after a romantic dinner." 

"You can still be unwrapped," Sonny said, perking up like a puppy at the mention of "sexy lingerie". "I mean... that's not hard at all, Iz. I've been doin' that for twenty years already." 

As the setting sun shined between the blinds of the bedroom, Isabella let out a deep sigh. "Maybe next year, we should just stay home for our anniversary," she mumbled, as Sonny moved his hand up and down her back. "Keep me in bed the entire day or weekend, since I can't even walk around, without hurting myself." 

Sonny pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "It wouldn't be Isabella Carisi, if she didn't get a few bumps and bruises here and there," he said, as she sat up to reach for the throw blanket. "You have a low tolerance for pain, Iz. It's normal and I've dealt with it for twenty years. Plan on dealin' with it for the rest of my life, too." 

"I'm a hot mess," Isabella shook her head, as she laid the throw blanket over herself and Sonny. 

"Yeah, but you're my hot mess," he whispered, as she laid her head back down on his chest. "Rest for a lil bit and I'll order a pizza or somethin' for dinner. After that, I'll kiss all your boo boo's if ya want me to." 

She giggled, "I hope you do," she murmured. "Thank you for letting me be your hot mess." 

He chuckled, "You're welcome," he nodded. "If your ankle starts to hurt, let me know. I'll get some more ice..." 

 

 


	92. PDA

Isabella giggled, for what seemed like the hundredth time, as Sonny leaned down to kiss her again; the cheap beer and liquor, swimming through their veins as they waited for a cab. After a long day at work for both of them, the couple were finally able to kick back and relax for the weekend. Between moving out of Manhattan and getting their apartment settled, while working full time jobs and Sonny's odd hours, a night out with their friends was much needed. Between bar food and drinking too much beer, followed by a few jack and cokes, it was safe to say that Sonny and Isabella were drunk. 

So when it was time to get a ride home, the couple stumbled out onto the sidewalk and proceeded to make out like two horny teenagers, for thirty minutes. And, while they were completely oblivious to the world around them, they were unknowingly putting on a show for the world to see. 

"Can you guys like, not suck each other's faces off?" Amanda asked, as she waited for a cab as well. "Like.. this is sickenin'." 

Sonny pulled away and looked to his co-worker, his eyes slightly glazed over and his cheeks flushed. "What's wrong, "Manda?" he asked, his words a bit slurred. "Jealous?" 

"Sonnnny!" Isabella pouted, which got his attention again. "Not nice!" 

She then giggled, as Sonny nuzzled her neck, before attaching his lips to hers again. 

"Jesus," Fin muttered, shaking his head. "Now I see why Barba fled after the third round." 

The couple continued their PDA session, kissing and giggling, in the late night summer heat. By the time a cab pulled up to the curb, Amanda and Fin quickly grabbed it, leaving Sonny and Isabella behind. Their shouted goodbye's went unheard, as Sonny was too busy shoving his tongue down his girlfriend's throat; his hand trailing under the knee-length skirt, nearly exposing her to the world around them. 

"If they get arrested for public indecency, they better call their parents," Fin said, shaking his head. "Makin' out like two teenagers, those two." 

Amanda snorted, "I can't wait to blackmail 'em," she said, rolling down the window. 

When Monday morning rolled around, Sonny was back at his desk and ready to start the work day. It had been painful, leaving behind a very naked and sleeping girlfriend, to trek into Manhattan in the late July heat. Stopping to get an iced coffee and breakfast, Sonny was already counting down the hours before it would be time to head home. 

"Well, well, well," Amanda drawled, as she came out of the break room with a mug of coffee. "You look.. refreshed." 

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sonny asked, looking up from his computer. 

Amanda snorted, "Between you and Iz, ya'll drank more beer and Jack Daniels, than a frat boy," she teased. "Then, ya'll gave everyone a show..." 

Sonny paled, "What?" he asked sharply, his brows furrowing. "What do ya mean, "gave everyone a show," Amanda?" 

"Well," Amanda sighed, as she brought the mug up to her lips. "Now I know that Iz prefers to wear lacy thongs under her dresses...." 

" _Shit."_

Snorting, Amanda sat down at her desk, setting her coffee down, while Sonny scrambled for his phone. "Ya know, you surprise me, Carisi," she said, logging into her account. "Didn't picture you as the kinda guy that would moan. Especially in the way you were, when Iz was doin' that thing with her hand... to your..." 

As soon as she said it, eyebrows wiggling suggestively, Sonny was out of his chair and rushing to the bunk room with his phone. "Iz...  _Iz!"_ she heard him hiss into the phone, as his disappeared from view. 

Cackling, Amanda sat back in her chair, pleased with herself. As Fin made his way over to her desk, he frowned. "What's makin' you cackle like the Wicked Witch of the West?" he asked, as she wiped away her tears. 

"Let's just say...," she started, letting out a hiccup of a laugh. "Sonny might wanna rethink his PDA sessions..." 

......................

"Ugh, seriously? Can you guys like.. not try to fuck near my food?" 

Sonny and Isabella pulled apart in surprise, as Joey pushed past them to get into the closet. "What ya mouth," Sonny huffed, as Isabella blushed furiously. 

"That's rich, comin' from you," Joey snorted, grabbing a gatorade and a bag of Doritos. "All I ask is that you take your sexual escapes, and do it somewhere else. You two don't live here, so you're not eatin' the food in this closet." 

"Oh, shut up," Isabella snapped. "Like you're so innocent, Joey." 

Her brother snorted, "Not sayin' that I am," he shrugged. "I just don't fuck chicks where I eat." 

Leaving them behind, whistling a merry tune, Sonny sighed and looked down at his wife. "It could've been worse," he said, after a few minutes. "Could've been Frenchie. Or Nonna." 

"Ughhhhh, now I'm not in the mood," she pouted, pulling him out of the closet. "That little shit got me all cranky now."

Snorting, Sonny held her hand as they walked through the kitchen and out into the yard, where her parents were. "Ah, I was wondering where you two went off to!" Noelle said, as she sipped her wine. "Your Father is going to start the grill up, that way we can eat." 

With Sonny's help, Isabella lowered herself down onto his lap, her hand coming down to rest against her belly. "Sounds good," she sighed, as Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist. "Joey's being a brat, by the way. Can you ground him?" 

"He's nineteen, Iz," Antonio snorted, as he turned the grill on. "What am I supposed to do? Take away his phone? Or the car keys? So ya Mother and I are forced to drive him everywhere?" 

"Relax," Sonny whispered, as his fingers traced patterns against her belly. "You gettin' all agitated, is makin' the baby agitated. Remember what the doc said, babe." 

With a huff Isabella leaned against his chest, dropping her head down against his shoulder. At seven and a half months, Isabella was cranky and horny all at once. Spending the weekend with her parents, made that even worse; between her annoying teenage brother, to finding places to fulfill her urges, Isabella couldn't wait to get back to Queens. And for their daughter to arrive, as the June due-date was still two months away. 

Noelle stood up from the table, taking her glass with her, as she went inside the house to get the food prepared. With Antonio busy making sure the grill was working, Sonny kissed the side of Isabella's head, before whispering into her ear. 

"We could always go down to that tree, after everyone's gone to bed, so I can have my way with ya," he started, smirking as she shivered. "Or... we could fool around in the basement. Hm? At least down there, no one will hear the bed squeakin'.." 

Her breath catching, Isabella turned her head to look at him, panting slightly at the comment. "You tease," she hissed, as he smirked. "You know we can't disappear for hours, Sonny..." 

He chuckled, bringing her down for a kiss. "Yeah, but at least it's got ya thinkin' about later," he whispered, as she snuggled up against his chest. "Besides, once we eat, you're mind will be elsewhere. Especially since it's barbecue and chicken.." 

"I'll just picture it being you," Isabella mumbled, as Sonny pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Can we really fool around in the basement later?" 

"If you're a good girl, sure," he shrugged, as she lifted her head up to look at him. "But ya gotta be patient, Iz. And calm, may I add." 

Pouting at him, Sonny shook his head and laid a kiss on her lips, before shifting his hold on her. While Noelle and Antonio moved in and out of the house ,bringing out food and plates, the couple continued to nuzzle and kiss each other. 

"SERIOUSLY?! FOREPLAY AT THE TABLE?" 

"GIOVANNI!" 

Joey gaped at his Mother, while pointing at Isabella and Sonny. "MA! They're like... two steps away from bangin' at the table!" he cried, as Noelle gasped. "I found 'em makin' out in the food pantry and now they're out here!" 

"Joey, go inside, will ya!" Antonio sighed, as the first set of burgers and chicken wings went on the grill. 'Stop givin' everybody grief, because that girl friend zoned ya the other day.." 

"Friend zoned?" Isabella gasped in shock, surprised that her Father even knew the word. 

Sonny snorted, "That explains everythin'" he said, as Joey glared at him. "Ah, it's alright, Joey. I'm sure there's plenty of girls up in Cortland, just waitin' for ya." 

Isabella snickered, "Unless they friend-zoned him," she whispered, which made Sonny chuckle. 

"I can't wait for you two to go home,' Joey snapped, as he stomped back into the house. 

"What is God's nam- you two were having sex in my food pantry?" Noelle asked, horrified at the thought. 

"Frenchie... seriously?" Sonny scoffed, as Isabella huffed. "We may be a newly-wedded couple, but we're not animals! I'd neva!" 

Rolling her eyes, Noelle turned on her heel and stormed back into the house, muttering in a stream of French as she went. Chuckling, Sonny threw his head back against the chair and sighed, "I think everyone's jealous, huh?" he said to himself, as Isabella scowled. "Is it that much of a crime, to publicly kiss my wife?" 

"It is if ya tryin' to get it on where we store food," Antonio said, shaking his head. "Now I gotta hear about this all weekend long, no thanks to you two!" 

...................

Theo made a face, before tugging on his sister's sleeve. 

"What?" Evelina snapped, wrenching her arm away from the youngest Carisi. "It's too hot for you to be pulling on me, Theo!" 

"But!" he whined, as his sister glared. "Mom and Dad are doin' it again!" 

Turning around, the eighteen year old huffed, before elbowing Carina in the ribs. The twenty-one year old hissed in pain, spinning around to smack her sister, when Evelina ducked. 

"What is wrong with you, you uncivilized animal!" Carina hissed, as Siena and Ellie turned to watch them. "Must you?!" 

"Mom and Dad are sucking face again," Evelina said, rolling her eyes. 

By then, the five Carisi children had turned around and watched, as their parents kissed against the railing; the fireworks illuminating the night sky, as the music roared through the speakers. Ellie giggled at the sight, as did Siena, for they were all about romance at the age of thirteen and fourteen and a half. Theo gagged at the sight, a firm believer that kissing girls was just 'gross" and that they were the "absolute worse!". 

"You better say something, otherwise they're going to start screwing in public," Evelina said, as Sonny's hands slipped under the hem of Isabella's shirt. "And quite frankly, I don't want to get banned for life from Disney World. Especially since it's our first time here." 

"Unbelievable," Carina huffed, as she stomped across the walkway and over to her parents. 

Just as she reached them, her parents both let out a moan, as Sonny's hand slipped further up Isabella's shirt; his other hand moving down to her backside for a squeeze. 

"Guys!" Carina said quickly, glancing around at the other families nearby. 

Her parents didn't respond, as they continued to make out. Turning back around, her siblings held up their hands to stop her, motioning to turn around and fix the situation. As the eldest of the bunch, it was always up to Carina to remind her parents about proper behavior in public places. Being that she was currently an intern at the DA"s office, while taking the proper classes to prepare her for the BAR exam for the end of the year, it was always up to Carina to diffuse situations. Especially when it came to her parents and their very public and sometimes raunchy PDA. 

Too many times did she and her siblings catch their parents, in very awkward situations. It was Evelina, who accidentally walked in on them having sex in the basement last December, which scarred the life out of her. After that, her parents made sure to keep themselves locked in their bedroom or bathroom, to avoid the humiliation of having one of their children walk in on them. But Carina and Evelina knew better, being that they were both night owl's like their parents. 

" _Did you hear that?"_ _Evelina asked, pausing their Netflix stream._

_"Hear what, Lina?" Carina sighed, annoyed that her sister had paused the movie. "I don't hear anything, but you yapping."_

_Evelina scowled, "That.. that moaning sound," she said, getting up from her bed. Tip-toeing up to the bedroom door, she quietly pulled it open halfway and stuck her head out into the hallway. After a few seconds, she heard it again, turning around quickly to face Carina. "C'MHERE!" she hissed, waving her hand at the girl._

_Together, they stood by the door and strained their ears, before their jaws dropped in both shock and disgusted._

_"Is that..." Carina started, as the tall-tell sounds of a mattress squeaking, followed by moaning, filtered out from behind a closed door._

_"Sonny.....yes!"_

_The girls gagged, as they heard Sonny moan loudly and the squeaking picking up, as they closed the door to their room._

_"Oh god! No! Noooooo!!!" Evelina groaned, waving her hands before her face. "That's so gross! They are so disgusting, Carina!"_

_The next morning at breakfast, as Sonny came downstairs dressed and ready for work, both teenagers watched as he greeted their Mother with a smile and a kiss, before hightailing it out of the kitchen._

Now, eight months later, they were on vacation in Orlando for Theo, Isabella and Carina's birthdays, along with Sonny and Isabella's twenty second anniversary. It took a lot of strings being pulled to afford the trip to Disney World, as they were a family of seven, which made booking hotels a bit difficult. Especially since the size of their party, maxed out the room occupation for all the value resorts on the property. 

And being that it was their second full day, touring the world in  _Epcot,_ Carina was about to let her parents get them kicked out. All because they couldn't control themselves. 

"MOM! DAD!" she shouted, which startled the couple apart. 

"What? What's wrong?" Isabella asked, breathless. "Where's your sisters? And your brother?" 

Sonny, flushed in the face and slightly panting, nodding in agreement. "Did they run off?" he asked, as Carina rolled her eyes. 

"No, they did not run off!" she hissed, as she looked between the two. "They're by the water, trying to watch the firework show, but instead, they're watching you practically undress yourselves in public!" 

The couple looked at each other, before looking back at Carina. "Hey... calm down," Sonny started, as Carina huffed. "We're not undressin' each other, Rina." 

Carina rolled her eyes, "You were doing enough, that would get us banned from Disney!" she exclaimed, before lowering her voice. "Can't you two just keep it family friendly for once? I mean, you're both old for god's sake!" 

"Hey!" Sonny cried, pouting at the comment. "We're not  _old!"_

"Sweetheart, we weren't doing anything illegal," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "Besides, if you look around here, I'm sure you'll find people doing the same thing. Kissing is kissing. Your Father and I are allowed to kiss and show affection to each other, both in private and in public." 

The twenty-one year old rolled her eyes, "So, I guess that means I could just go and suck face with any guy here?" she asked, watching as her Father glared at her. 

"That's different and you betta not get any ideas, Carina Rose," he warned, pointing at her. "Otherwise, you can sit in the hotel room for the rest of the vacation." 

Isabella soothingly patted Sonny's chest with her hand, "Alright, alright," she nodded, turning to look at Carina. "We're coming down to join you guys. Let's not fight here in public." 

Sonny nodded, as did Carina. "And, you better not go and make out with random men, Carina," Isabella continued. "I don't care if you're twenty-one now. You don't do that in front of your parents." 

"But you two can feel each other up, in front of your children?" Carina asked. 

"Carina..." Sonny started again, as the girl ran off towards her siblings. "I swear ta god, Iz. Now, I'm gonna grab and kiss ya, just out of spite." 

She sighed, "Sonny, let's not start arguments with our children," she begged, as they started across the walkway to meet up with them. "We've only been here for two days and I really don't  want to get banned from Disney World." 

He huffed, "Is is a crime though, really, to kiss my wife?" he asked. "I mean, we're here for our anniversary! At fifty-four years old, I should be allowed to make out with my wife, without my twenty-one year old's permission." 

"I know, I know," Isabella nodded. "But.. when we get back to the room, you can kiss me all you want," she said, as he looked down at her. "Anywhere you want, too. If you can be nice and a good, patient boy." 

Smirking, Sonny wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. "Man.. if they're this squeamish about a lil' kissin', I can only imagine how they'd feel if they knew how they got here in the first place," he teased, as they reached the kids. 

"Finally!" Evelina whined. "We're bored! This show sucks and we want to get pastries from France!" 

"Language," Isabella sighed, as the girl scowled. "Is that what you all want? Pastries from France?" 

The kids nodded, "Daddy, can I have a cannoli?" Siena pouted, as Ellie chanted "Me too! Me too!" behind her. "The people in France are rude. They sound like they have frogs in their mouth!" Ellie scowled. 

Sonny snorted, "Sure," he nodded. "Let's stop in France so your sisters and Mother can get their fancy cake, then we can hope back to Italy for the superior bakery treats." 

Making their way around the park, Carina and Evelina rushed into  _Les Halles Boulangerie- Patisserie_ and onto the growing line of customers. 

"All that cryin' for food," Sonny shook his head, as Siena and Ellie sat down at a table. "Unreal. They're just as bad now, as they were when they were babies." 

Isabella snorted, as they stood behind the two teenagers. "Are you surprised?" she asked, as Theo followed them. "Theo, sweetheart, do you want anything from here? Or, do you want to get something in Italy with Daddy, Si and Ellie?" 

The twelve year old shrugged, "Can I get somethin' from both?" he asked, as Sonny wrapped his arm around his shoulders. 

"Jesus, Kid," Sonny snorted, ruffling Theo's hair. "Sure. You're in Disney World for ya birthday, so might as well." 

"Thanks, Dad," Theo grinned, as Sonny hugged him. "Mom, can you tell me what everything is? It's all in French." 

Nodding as they reached the first set of food cases, Theo moved forward to look at everything inside. Giving Sonny a quick kiss, Isabella followed him, while he went over to Carina and Evelina; both of whom, were shamelessly flirting with the boy behind the counter. 

"Alright girls," Sonny said, startling them both, along with the boy behind the counter. "What are we gettin'?" 

 


	93. the big change

Isabella gritted her teeth, as Theo bounced the basketball up and down the hallway. In the living room, the television was on and blasting the latest episode of some drama series that Siena just had to watch every week. The entire house for that matter just seemed so... loud. As if every television, radio and appliance had been turned on and at the highest volume. And it was  _hot._ Given that it was mid-April, Isabella was sweating, despite it being a chilly fifty-five degrees outside. The heat had not been turned up that high, now that winter was over. The only thing on the in the kitchen, was the stove top, as Isabella let a pot of water boil for potatoes. 

"Mommmmyyyyy!" Ellie called out from the downstairs bathroom. "I need toilet paperrrr!" 

"Just... give me a second, El!" Isabella called out, as she dumped the pile of potato skin peels into the trash. 

Brushing the loose strands of hair away from her forehead, Isabella pulled at her shirt and grimaced at the sticky feeling that covered her body. The sweat that just  _poured_ from what seemed like everywhere, despite having the windows open and wearing shorts and tank tops. No matter what she did, Isabella was constantly sweating and overly hot. 

"MOMMMY!" Ellie shouted again, as Theo bounced the ball a little to hard, that it went flying into the kitchen. 

Reaching her boiling point, Isabella snapped. "GOODDAMN IT, THEO!" she screamed, startling the boy. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, GO OUTSIDE! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THAT WE DON'T PLAY BALL IN THE FUCKING HOUSE!" 

Theo just stared at her in shock, the ball rolling to a stop near the sliding door. "Mo-" he started, as Isabella stormed out of the kitchen.

"AND YOU!" Isabella shouted, startling Siena over the noise from the television. "ARE YOU DEAF? LOWER IT NOW!" 

Siena quickly fumbled for the remote, lowering the television as Isabella continued on her warpath of destruction. Wrenching teh closet door open, Isabella grabbed the package of toilet paper off the shelf and stomped down the hall to the bathroom.  Flinging the bathroom door open, Isabella tossed the package on the floor, the rolls tumbling out and rolling across the green bath rug. 

"If you clog the toilet again, you're grounded!" she warned, as Ellie stared at her in shock. "Your Father and I don't to pay a plumber to fix the toilet bowl!" 

Turning on her heel, Isabella stormed upstairs and down the hall to her bedroom, leaving the kids downstairs in total silence and shock. Siena, being the oldest of the three in the house, quickly rushed into the kitchen and grabbed the cordless phone off the dock. 

"What are you doing?" Theo asked, as Siena dialed the number that was on the giant white board in the kitchen. "If Mommy finds you on the phone, she's gonna get mad and yell again!" 

"I'm calling Daddy!" she said, as the phone started to ring. "Mommy's never yelled at us like that before, and she yells at us a lot!" 

It was a given, being a Carisi. The kids were always up to something, from pranks to mouthing off in school. Isabella would always sigh, shake her head and yell at them if she got a phone call from their teachers. Then, when Sonny came home from work, she'd do the same to him. 

 _They're just like you, Sonny!_ she would whine, as he chuckled.  _At the rate some of them are going, they'll be lucky to even graduate by the time they hit high school!_

..........

"Are you gonna arrest Mom and put her in jail?" Evelina asked, from the backseat. "If you do that, will you guys still be married?" 

Sonny snorted, as he pulled into the driveway. "I'm not arrestin' ya Mother, Lina," he sighed, as he pulled the key out of the ignition. "I don't even know what happened, so for all we know, Siena could be exaggeratin'.  _Again."_

Carina sighed, "Mom's been acting weird for a while, Dad," she admitted, placing her phone in her bag. "She's been more tired and agitated, since Halloween." 

"Well, that's what happens when you work and have children," Sonny replied, as they made their way up the front steps to the door. "You think it's a walk in the park, makin' money and makin' sure your family is safe? You guys can get a bit exhaustin' at the end of the day..." 

Evelina snorted, "Yeah, but Mom's been just extra..." she trailed off, as Sonny turned around to stare at her. "Weird." 

"I'll handle Mommy," Sonny said, as he unlocked the front door. "You two are gonna put your things away and get your sisters and brother ready for dinner. Siena put potatoes on for homemade mashed potatoes..." 

Stepping into the house, Sonny moved aside so the girls could head in to do what they were told. Sighing, he shut and locked the door behind him, before making his way into the living room. On the couch, Ellie and Theo sat quietly, watching a movie. 

"Hey guys," he greeted them, ruffling their heads. "Everythin' alright?" 

They both shrugged, "Where's Mommy?" he asked. 

"Upstairs," Ellie said quietly. "She's been in her room since she yelled at us.." 

Nodding, Sonny made his way towards the kitchen, peeking in to check on the girls. "Everythin' alright?" he asked, as they moved around the kitchen, putting food together for dinner. 

Carina nodded, "I'll figure something out for dinner," she said, digging through the refrigerator. "But.. it will be a bit later than usual." 

"That's fine," Sonny nodded, as he started for the stairs. "Just be careful, guys. Don't burn yaselves or the house down.." 

Leaving the elder three to their own devices, Sonny made his way upstairs and down the hallway to the master bedroom; where the door was shut and probably locked. Sighing deeply, Sonny raised his hand and knocked twice, before calling out his wife's name. 

"Iz?" he said slowly, waiting for a response. "Babe?" 

Hearing movement on the other side of the door, Sonny reached for the knob and was relieved to find that it wasn't locked. Pushing the door open slowly, he peered into the room and frowned. Isabella had all the windows open and a fan plugged in and on. 

"Fucking.. mother.. fucker," she muttered, trying to get the fan to blow directly towards the bed. "What the fuck!" 

"Iz.." Sonny started, as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "What.. what are you doin'?" 

She huffed, giving the fan a kick. "It's so fucking hot in the goddamn house!" she snapped, moving to the window. "No matter what I do, it's always hot!" 

Frowning, Sonny made his way across the room and over to her, reaching out to touch her forehead with his hand. "Stop!" she whined, trying to move away from him. "Don't touch me, Sonny! I don't want to be touched!" 

"I'm just checkin' to see if ya have a fever is all," he said defensively. "Don't yell at me, Iz. I'm sorry your feelin' cranky and all, but I'm just tryin' to figure out what's goin' on." 

"Let me guess," Isabella rolled her eyes. "The kids called you and told you that I yelled at them.." 

Sonny sighed, "More like screamed at them," he offered casually, as he went to the closet to lock up his gun. "Siena said you were screamin' at her, Theo and Ellie, before stormin' up here in a huff. Carina, our eldest and wisest observer, says that you've been actin' off since Halloween..." 

She rolled her eyes, "I'm  _fine,"_ she snapped. "That's always gonna be their excuse to make it seem like I'm the bad guy, because I'm the one always yelling at them for being bad!" 

"Babe, no one is sayin' that you're a bad guy or anythin'," Sonny frowned, as he loosened his tie. "Here, come sit down and relax for a second." 

"I don't need to relax," Isabella said, as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "I just need it to stop being so hot in this house." 

"Honey, it's fuckin' cold in here," Sonny said, watching as she frowned at his statement. "You got every window open in the house. The kids are wearing sweatshirts and socks, which is shocking since they never do that to begin with when in the house." 

Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "What else has been botherin' you?" Sonny asked. "Besides bein' so hot and agitated, that is." 

"Can't sleep," Isabella said, as she wiped at her forehead. "My skin is so dry and my hair has been falling out in the shower or when I brush it. I'm always cranky and if I'm not cranky, I'm sad."

He nodded, "My entire body hurts most days than others, and on top of it all, I'm anxious," she said, looking over at him. "Everything makes me anxious. It's like I'm having an anxiety attack all day long..." 

"Alright, I think tomorrow I'm gonna call the doc and see if we can get you checked out," Sonny said. "Just to see what's goin' on in there, Iz." 

"It also hurts some times... when we have sex," she admitted. "It hurt a bit last night, but I just brushed it off.." 

"Why didn't you say anythin'?" Sonny frowned. "You should've told me, Iz." 

Isabella shrugged, "Alright, maybe we should call ya lady doc," he said. "Maybe it's menopause, Iz." 

She nodded, albeit shakily at that. "Yeah..yeah, maybe," she said quietly, as he leaned over to kiss the side of her head. 

"How about a cold shower?" he offered, standing up from the bed. "And I'll see what I can do about the fan. If ya have to sleep with it blowin' on ya, I'll try my best to fix it." 

"Sounds good," Isabella said, giving him a weak smile, as he got up to head into the bathroom. "Sounds good.." 

...............

After making the necessary phone calls, Isabella found herself at the gynecologist, getting her blood drawn and answering routine questions. A pelvic exam and sonogram later, Isabella fidgeted in the seat next to Sonny as they waited in the doctor's private office. 

"Alright.." Doctor Chang said, as she read through the scans. "Well, given what you've told me and your age, I would say that you're in the beginning stages of menopause." 

"Beginnin' stages?" Sonny scoffed. "You make it sound like it's cancer or somethin' worse.." 

Isabella squeezed his hand tightly at that moment, as she kept her eyes on the desk before her; the little sample of an IUD in a faux uterus, stared back at her, along with the little cards of different contraceptive brands. 

"I say beginning stages, because Isabella is still having her menstrual periods," the doctor said. "Sure, she skipped one between December and February, but she had one from February to two weeks ago." 

"So.." Sonny frowned. 

"Basically, she would have to go a whole year without having a period," Doctor Chang said, as patiently as ever. "There is no test to perform, that would give you a clear diagnosis this day and age. Your results came back good and your pelvic exam was exceptional, so I have no doubts about your pap." 

Isabella blinked and looked up at the woman, "So.. it's not cancer?" she asked. 

Doctor Chang frowned and shook her head, "No, Isabella," she said. "No cancer as far as I can see." 

Seeing the worry on her patients face, Doctor Chang sighed. "Look," she started, clasping her hands together and resting them on the paperwork before her. "You're going to be fifty-one this year, Isabella. And like all doctors and medical texts suggest, your fifties are the beginning of a new chapter in your life. Children off to college, the road to retirement coming closer and for us girls? It's menopause." 

Sonny winced at that, as Isabella nodded. "You're healthy," the doctor continued. "The symptoms that you've been experiencing are normal. A pain in the ass, but normal. It's gonna continue for a while, but we can manage them. There are hormone medications and therapies we could try, along with non-hormone. I have a lot of literature I can give you to look over, so you can decide what would work best for you." 

"Okay," Isabella said. 

"You're going to be fine, Isabella. You'll get through this hurdle, just like you did with pregnancy and childbirth. It's part of life.." 

Sonny gave her hand a squeeze, "It'll be fine," he said, as Isabella glanced over at him. "You've got me in your court, Iz. I'll be there for you to do whatever it is ya need, from yellin' to sweatin' through the bedsheets." 

Taking the massive amounts of paperwork, Isabella scheduled a follow up appointment for the following week, before heading out onto the busy sidewalk of Manhattan. 

"I thought it was cancer," she said, as they crossed the street and headed into Central Park. "I don't know what I'd do if it was.." 

"Hey, it's not cancer," Sonny said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "This is just part of gettin' older, babe. I'm sure there's loads of things that I'll have to face, but for you? It's the complete shut down of your uterus." 

She managed a snort, "Not like it's been doing much these last eleven years, except shed it's lining," she sighed. "It  _will_ be nice to not have a period, once it's all said and done.." 

Sonny nodded, "Still, we'd have to buy tampons and pads for the girls," he pointed out. "But yeah. It'll be nice to not have to see ya in pain, whenever you get it." 

"Let's get some food and head home," Isabella nodded. "After the kids go to bed, we can read through all the stuff about therapies and medications. And what else to expect from this torture." 

.................

And they did deal with it. Between hormone medication and a change in diet, Isabella played the waiting game as her periods came and went for the rest of the year. They told Carina and Evelina only, since they were old enough to understand the concept of menopause. For Siena, Ellie and Theo, they just went with the whole "sometimes Mommy gets cranky and needs to relax" bit. 

Their sex life suffered the first few months, as Isabella adjusted to the hormone medication. Between not being in the mood, to discomfort during sex, they read up on what to use and try during sex. 

"Who knew that Costco would have a jumbo pack of lube!" Sonny chuckled, as they took a shopping trip one weekend alone to the warehouse. "That should last us at least the rest of the year!" 

Between lube, oral medication and patience, Isabella was able to enjoy sex with her husband. Along with changing up the sex life, being more adventurous helped as well. 

"Sex in our own car," Sonny snorted, as they quietly made their way out of the garage and into the house. "Why have we never tried that one before?" 

"Because all our kids were babies and would cry for us," Isabella snorted, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. 

With the kids all in their rooms either sleeping or watching television, Sonny and Isabella quickly and quietly went up to their room. 

"Hey.... do I... ya know, smell?" Isabella asked, as they stripped out of their clothes. 

"Smell?" Sonny asked, turning on the shower in their bathroom. "How are you supposed ta smell?" 

Pulling the shower curtain aside, Sonny tested the temperature of the water, while Isabella stood by him. "I mean.. do I smell weird. Down.. you know, there?" 

He snorted, "I mean.. you smell like.. you," he shrugged. "And me, after we have sex." 

Isabella blushed, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Taste good too," he whispered into her ear, before pressing a kiss against her neck. "That cherry vanilla stuff is quite the aphrodisiac.." 

"Sonny!" she giggled, as he chuckled. "I just.. you know. All these changes and the medication... I just feel like my PH balance is being thrown off." 

"It's never bothered me," Sonny said, as he climbed into the shower with her right behind him. "In fact.. I can show ya how much it doesn't bother me." 

Gasping in surprise, as he lightly pushed her up against the wall, Isabella let out a peal of giggles and Sonny slowly sank to his knees in their tub. "Careful," she laughed, as he winced at the cracking of his joints. "You don't have to do that in here, Sonny.." 

"Hush, woman," he teased, lifting her leg to drape over his shoulder, while his hands went to her hips. "And let me work my magic.." 

 


	94. tantrum city

Sonny groaned, as Siena drooled onto his shirt, while the bottle warmer binged; an eight ounce bottle of formula, warm and ready for consuming.

"Siena, really?" he asked, as she squealed. "Can't ya drool on ya bib or somethin'?" 

Grabbing the bottle out of the warmer, Sonny carried the baby out into the living room, settling down on the couch. Testing the temperature, Sonny eased the nipple between Siena's lips and sighed in relief, as she began to suckle furiously. 

"Thank God," he muttered, as Siena drank her lunch down. 

On the love seat, Carina was curled up under her Frozen blanket with one of her stuffed animals, dozing in and out. "You alright over there, Elsa?" Sonny teased, as she yawned. 

The five year old nodded, "I'm nappin', Daddy," she mumbled, pulling the blanket up to her nose. "Nappin'." 

"At least one of us is nappin' today," he mumbled, shifting Siena in his arms. "I wonder what Lina's up to, the little sneaky meatball." 

As if she heard her name, Evelina came toddling into the living room, still dressed in her princess jammies; her red hair wild about and tangled, as she had just woken up from a nap. 

"Hey there, Princess," Sonny greeted her, as she scowled. "Yeah, yeah. I feel the same way, kiddo." 

"I want Mommy," she whined, her bottom lip jutting out into a pout. 

Sonny nodded, "Me too," he said. "But, Mommy's out with Zia Bella for the day. She'll be home soon, alright?" 

This did not please the two and a half year old, as her blue eyes began to shine with the threat of tears. "Evelina, it's gonna be alright," Sonny started, as the first fat tear drop, rolled down her flushed cheek. "Oh boy, here we go..." 

The first set of tears were accompanied by the sniffles, before the wailing started. It wasn't a surprise to Sonny these days, as Evelina threw tantrums over the smallest of issues. 

"Lina! I'm nappin'!" Carina whined, as her sister continued to wail and cry. 

"NO NAP!" Lina screeched, stomping her feet on the floor. "MOMMY! MOMMY!" 

Sonny groaned and threw his head back against the couch and shook his head. "This is gonna be the worst day ever and it's only eleven-thirty." 

.............

Once Siena finished her bottle, burped and went into the play pen, Sonny tended to Evelina. Promising that Mommy would be home soon, he gave her a cup filled with water and a handful of cookies. 

"Let's sit on the couch and watch cartoons," he bribed, heading back into the living room. "Mommy will be home soon and she promised to bring home a special surprise." 

"'Prise?" Evelina asked, her face covered with tears and cookie crumbs. "Snacks?" 

Sonny nodded, "She wouldn't tell me what it would be," he shrugged. "But maybe it'll be doughnuts this time, since we haven't had those in a while." 

With Carina snoring and Siena gnawing on a teething ring, Sonny and Evelina were able to watch a couple of shows on the Disney channel, before Evelina fell asleep. Covering her with the quilt, Sonny carefully got up and brought the sippy cup into the kitchen. Checking on his phone, he sent a quick text to Isabella, who texted back right away. 

_If they're all napping, you should nap too. You tend to get extra cranky, if you don't get enough sleep. Which is a lot lately.._

"I don't get cranky," Sonny said, as he read her message. 

The phone buzzed again, " _I'll be home soon. Call me if there's an emergency, otherwise I'll see you later._

Putting the phone in his sweatshirt pocket, Sonny made his way downstairs to the basement to start on the laundry. And, while he knew a nap would be the right choice, he also knew that if he didn't get the mountain of laundry done before Isabella came home, he would be a dead man. 

.............

After nap brought lunch and cranky little girls, as Carina and Evelina whined and cried at the table. Siena sat happily in her high chair, drooling and squealing as her sisters cried. And it was driving Sonny crazy, as he prepped lunch and a bottle, while trying to straighten up the house. 

"I don't want macaroni!" Carina whined, pushing the bowl away. "I want hot dogs!" 

"I want cake!" Evelina cried. 

Siena squealed, banging her hands on the highchair tray; pulverizing the cheerios that Sonny had shook out for her. 

Sonny grumbled, "I want a vacation and pina colada, but we don't always get what we want," he said, as Carina and Evelina looked at him in silence for a moment. Thinking he had ended the complaining, Sonny turned around to get something from the counter, when it began. 

The wailing and crying, as the girls sat at the table. "Guys, c'mon," he groaned, grabbing the cups off the counter along with the bottle of apple juice. "All this cryin' is gonna make ya's sick." 

"I want M-M-Moooommyyyy!" Carina cried hysterically, as Sonny set a cup down next to her bowl of macaroni. "Call Mommy!" 

"I'm not callin' Mommy," Sonny started, which only made her wail harder and louder. "Carina Rose! Enough with the theatrics already!" 

Evelina let out a shriek, knocking her bowl of macaroni onto the floor; the plastic bowl and spoon clattering on the floor. Siena pointed at the two and half year old, her face scrunched up with a frown. 

"Alright, I guess it's time to take a time out," Sonny shook his head, moving around the table to pick up the bowl and spoon off the floor. "Now you don't get lunch, Lina. And you'll be lucky if ya even see what Mommy brings home later." 

Carina and Evelina both continued with their crying, as Sonny cleaned up the floor and threw away the garbage. And when it was time to feed Siena, Sonny took her out of the high chair and carried her around the house as she suckled from the bottle, as the screaming duo followed after Sonny. No matter where he went in the house, they followed behind, screaming and crying for his attention. 

"Pick me up! Evelina cried, as he settled Siena down in her walker. "Pick me up now!" 

"Not if ya askin' like that," Sonny shook his head, as Siena giggled at him. 

Evelina threw her head back and screamed, as Carina stood by the coffee table, crying freely. "Enough, Evelina," Sonny sighed, feeling the searing pain of a headache, rip through him. 

He stood and stared down at her as she continued to throw her tantrum, her face red and wet with tears and snot. "Jesus, you're a mess," he sighed, before looking over at Carina. "You too, Carina. How can ya's still be cryin' like this? It's been an hour and a half already!" 

"I WANT MY MOMMY!" Carina screeched. 

"MOMMMMMMMMYYYYYY!!!!" the girls cried in unison. 

It took twenty minutes to bribe them into silence, which only lasted for fifteen minutes. The only saving grace was that Siena was much too happy, rolling through the house in her walker, giggling and squealing, while her Father suffered through the tantrums of her sisters. 

"I don't have strawberries," Sonny said again, as Evelina started up again. 

"I wanna strawberry!" she whined, her bottom lip trembling. 

Carina just cried for the hell of it, since Evelina was starting up again. Sonny shook his head and searched through the refrigerator for something that would make them happy. Throwing herself onto the floor with her blanket, Evelina sprawled out like a starfish and stared at the ceiling as she cried.

"You two are ridiculous," Sonny shook his head, as Carina stood nearby. "I mean, really. Now I see why Mommy jumped at the chance to hang out with Zia Bella.."

"You be mean to us," Evelina hiccuped. "You be mean."

 Sonny scoffed, "I'm not bein' mean," he said, taking out a container of blueberries. "You're just upset because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this mornin'." 

 _Arguing with a toddler, Sonny. You've really hit rock bottom this time_ he said to himself, as he went to the sink. 

"I wanna be a banana," Carina huffed, hiccuping at the same time. "I wanna be a banana, Daddy." 

Sonny looked at her as if she had grown three heads, seeing the blood-shot green eyes staring back at him. Nodding slowly, Sonny set the container of freshly washed blueberries on the counter. "You can be whatever ya want,  _topolina,"_ he promised, as she wiped her snotty nose on her hands. "Let's get ya cleaned up before Mommy comes home." 

..................

By the time Isabella came home, a quarter after four, she walked into a scene of chaos. Toys and couch pillows on the floor, spilled cups of juice on the floor in the kitchen. Siena rolling down the hallway in her walker, as her other two children screamed and cried. Fearing the worst, Isabella quickly dropped her things on the kitchen table and rushed upstairs the bathroom Carina and Evelina shared. 

"I told ya's that you'd get sick!" Sonny said, as knelt near the bath tub. "I'm surprised it took this long for ya to upchuck everythin'." 

"What is going on here?" Isabella asked, as she stepped into the bathroom. "Why are we crying? Why is the house a wreck?" 

Sonny sighed, as the girls wailed and held their arms out towards her. "They've been throwin' tantrums all day, Iz," he started. "All day long, save for the time they took a nap and the twenty minutes or so, when I did manage to calm them down." 

Isabella sighed, as she looked at her two girls; both looked miserable, as well as Sonny. "You two are bananas," she shook her head, which only made Evelina cry more. "Let's get you two cleaned up and I want you two in bed." 

"Daddy mean to us," Evelina said, as Isabella scrubbed her down with a soapy loofah. "He so mean." 

"I was not mean," Sonny said, rolling his eyes. "You were just upset because I didn't have any strawberries for ya." 

"You two went to bed really late last night,' Isabella said, looking between the two. "Tonight, you're gonna eat dinner and then it's off to bed." 

Rinsed off and towel dried, they each carried a girl into their bedroom, dressing them in clean clothes. "Now, I want you two to lay down for a bit and rest," Isabella said, as she tucked Carina under her blankets. "I'll put a movie on and when dinner is done, Daddy and I will come get you both." 

Leaving them to watch their movie, the couple went back downstairs to clean up the mess. "They just started wreckin' the place," Sonny said, as he wiped the floor in the kitchen. "Started in the livin' room with the toys and the pillows, so I brought 'em in here find somethin' to calm 'em both down. Carina climbed up on the chair and swiped the cups onto the floor, Evelina tried to push the high chair over..." 

"Terrors, those two," Isabella shook her head. "Why didn't you call me, Sonny? I would've came home.." 

"Nah, you should be able to have a day to yaself," he shrugged. "I would've felt bad, makin' ya come home. And I would've felt useless, not bein' able to deal with my own kids goin' apeshit for no reason." 

Isabella wrapped her arms around his waist. "You would never be useless in my eyes, honey," she said, threading her fingers through his hair. "How about I fix ya a drink and you relax? I'll make dinner and we'll feed these kids and get them off to bed early." 

"My head is poundin', Iz. I don't think alcohol's gonna make it better." 

"Who said anything about alcohol," she teased. "Tea. And a dose of Advil, while you lay on the couch and relax." 

He snorted, nodding at the offer. "How do you do this all day, everyday?" he asked. "I mean, I've been home with them alone before, but they were never like this. The amount of tears spilt between the two for hours...." 

"You just deal," Isabella shrugged. "PIck and choose your battles. Pray that I can make it til bedtime or when you come home, so that I don't down an entire bottle of wine." 

"Is that why we've been buying wine more frequently?" Sonny asked, as she blushed. "Jesus, Iz." 

She shrugged, as Siena wheeled herself into the kitchen, giggling. Both her parents turned to look at her, as she beamed at them, bouncing up and down in her seat. "At least she's a happy one," Sonny murmured. "The only thing she did was squeal and giggle the entire day." 

Isabella snorted, as the infant made her way towards them, banging into the garbage can and a chair, before bumping into Sonny. "She finds everything amusing," Isabella said, as he took Siena out of the walker. "But when she has her moments... you know something rightfully ticked her off." 

"Probably savin' it all up for when she's a teenager," Sonny sighed, kissing the baby on the cheek. "C'mon, Speedy. Let's go watch a baseball game or somethin', before Mommy changes her mind and makes me do somethin'." 

"Have fun, you two," Isabella snorted, as she finished cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. 


	95. spa day

Sonny grumbled, wincing, as the princess comb ripped along his scalp; his hair product free, since it was a Saturday afternoon. 

"Easy, easy," he said, as Carina giggled behind him. "I need my hair, Rina. Daddy doesn't look good with a buzz cut." 

In front of him, Evelina rooted through the dress up bag, pulling out the play makeup that Noelle and Isabella had given them for Christmas a few months ago. "Oh, whoa," Sonny started, eyeing the tubes of glittery lipgloss and eyeshadows. "What do ya think you're doin' with all that?" 

"Putting it on you," Evelina said, smiling "sweetly" at him. "You look sooooo pretty, Daddy!" 

Carina nodded in agreement, as she placed a butterfly clip in his hair. "So, so, pretty!" she chimed in, as Sonny pouted. "Please, Daddy?  _Pleaseeeeee,_ can we make you extra pretty?" 

Seeing Evelina pouting and batting her eyelashes at him, along with the arms nearly cutting off his air supply around his neck, Sonny sighed deeply. Sitting on the activity mat next to them, Siena squealed and clapped her hands together, as she started at her Father and sisters. 

"Alright," he gave him, wanting to cry as the older girls cheered. "Just... go easy on me, alright? I can't go to work with glitter all over my face and chunks of hair missin', on Monday. Zia Amanda and Zio Fin will  _never_ stop teasin' me." 

As the girls got to work, digging through their bags and climbing all over him, Sonny silently cursed his wife for leaving him home alone that day.

.....................

"Oh...my," Isabella gasped, when she came into the house a few hours later. "What.. what did you guys do to Daddy?" 

Evelina giggled, bouncing on her toes, while Carina rushed to her. "We made him extra pretty, Mommy!" she squealed, as Isabella scooped her up into her arms. "See? I used my clippies and Lina put the face paint on him!" 

Sonny turned to send a withering glare towards Isabella, as she struggled to maintain her composure. "Well, Daddy looks  _beautiful,"_ she said, snorting in the process. "You girls did a  _wonderful_ job." 

Sitting on the floor, between the couch and the coffee table, Sonny looked absolutely  _miserable._ Carina had worked her princess comb and planted various clips and bows throughout his hair, along with knotting a hair tie somewhere in the back. His face felt tight and sticky, as Evelina slathered on neon pink and green glitter eyeshadow around his eyes and across his forehead. On his checks, she dusted him off with blue and purple glitter, while his lips were orange. Everything was sparkles, from the clips in his hair to the makeup on his face. And it smelled like a overly sugared up bowl of yogurt. The clash between strawberries, blueberries, banana and what vaguely smelled like apples, made his eyes and nose burn; and his stomach roll, since it smelled so fake to him. 

"Help me," he begged, as the girls continued to babble around him. "Please." 

"Girls, why don't you two sit with Daddy, so that Mommy can take a picture," Isabella said, looking anything buy innocent in that moment. 

Squealing, Evelina and Carina quickly rushed back to Sonny, who was torn between wanting to yell or cry, as Isabella took out her phone. "Alright," she said, standing in front of the coffee table with the phone in hand. "Say cheese!" 

"CHEEEEESEEEEE!" 

Taking at least three pictures quickly, Isabella smiled down at the phone, before pocketing it. "Alright, you guys need to clean up this mess," she said, nodding to the makeup and hair products. "After that, you can wash up and help me with dinner." 

As the girls cleaned up, Sonny pulled himself up off the floor, moving down the hallway to the bathroom; Isabella hot on his heels. Taking one look in the mirror, Sonny closed his eyes and groaned, shaking his head. 

"This is never gonna come off," he mumbled, as Isabella rummaged in one of the drawers. "I'll be glitterfied forever!" 

"You will not," Isabella giggled, pulling out a package of make-up removal wipes. "Start wiping your face with these," she said, handing him the package. "Then, you'll wash your face with some Noxzema and everything will be fine. Sparkle free and fresh-faced." 

Opening the package, Sonny pulled out a wipe and started scrubbing at his face. "What does a 5 year old and a 2 1/2 year old, need with makeup?" he asked, as Isabella grabbed a towel off the rack. "I mean.. they're a lil' too young for this shit, Iz." 

She rolled her eyes, "It's for dress up," she stated, as if that were the most logical reason in the world. "And it's not like they're always playing with that stuff, Sonny. In all honesty, I haven't seen them playing with the makeup since Christmas. I figured they'd forgotten about it, since they have so many toys to begin with." 

"I say we chuck it all out when they go to bed tonight," Sonny said, as he grabbed another wipe out of the package. "And they're not allowed to wear makeup til they're all 35, Iz." 

"Good luck with that, honey," Isabella said, patting his arm lightly. "Because, I plan on sleeping peacefully tonight. You can face the wrath of two little girls, when they wake up finding their makeup all gone." 

..................

Sonny forgot all about the incident, along with the picture, after SVU was slammed with two major cases back to back. Between long hours both in and out of the station, along with hours spent going over statements and evidence with Barba, Sonny was lucky to remember his home address and name. With no day's off for two weeks straight, Sonny barely saw his children, let alone his wife. 

By Friday, after a day of arraignments and putting together the final pieces of discombobulated puzzles, Sonny was finally free to spend the weekend at home and with his family. 

"Whoaaa..." Amanda snorted, as they piled into the elevator; her cellphone in hand. "Carisi, you never told me you had a thing for glitter." 

Sonny frowned, looking up from his own phone; a simple text to Isabella, letting her know that he was finally coming home and that he'd stop to pick up ice-cream for the kids and wine for them. "What are you talkin' about?" he asked, as Fin looked over Amanda's shoulder. 

"Oh geeze, that's messed up," Fin snorted, shaking his head. 

Grabbing the phone from Amanda, Sonny tapped on the screen, which lit up. "What the f-" he started, his eyes going wide at the photo in the screen. "Where did you get this?" 

"It's Instagram," Amanda shrugged. "You're wife posted it an hour ago. For Flashback Friday." 

Fin cackled, "Man, I wouldn't wanna be on Iz's bad side," he shook his head. "What did you do to piss her off, man?" 

Sonny scoffed, "Nothin'!" he insisted, handing the phone back to his friend. "I'm callin' her right now." 

Selecting the number out of the contact list, Sonny stepped off the elevator and waited for his wife to answer. After a few rings, she finally did, along with the entire household. 

"Helllloooooo!" 

"Iz! What the hell, babe!? You posted that picture of me, for everyone ta see?" Sonny cried, as he, Amanda and Fin made their way out into the muggy summer evening; going their separate ways to get home. 

She cackled on the other end of the line, "I totally forgot that I took it," she started, as Sonny waited for her to explain herself. "I laughed for a good.... half hour, before I finally managed to upload it. It's got over thirty likes and everyone LOVES it!" 

Sonny shook his head, "That's not funny, Iz," he said. "I'd never post an embarassin' picture of you, for the entire world to see!" 

"It's not the  _entire_ world, Sonny," Isabella scoffed. "It's our friends and family. All 36 of them, that follow me on Instagram. And, you have posted not-so flattering pictures of me, but I didn't react like you are right now." 

Isabella had him at that, and it drove him crazy. "You know I'll never hear the end about this, right?" he asked, as she snorted. "Amanda's probably gonna make Christmas cards outta it and I'll probably come in on Monday, with copies of it taped to my desk." 

"Ah, but you look  _so pretty,"_ Isabella teased, as the girls shrieked in the background. "Come home and I'll make it up to you, Sonny." 

"Yeah, you better," Sonny warned, as he reached the subway station that would take him back to Sunnyside. "And, while I make a few stops on the way home, you better keep an eye on for a surprise. 

"What surprise?" Isabella asked, ceasing all laughter. "Dominick? What are you going to do?" 

Sonny grinned to himself, as he swiped his metro card through the reader. "Just wait and see, sweetheart," he teased. "I'll be home soon." 

 


	96. 40 part 2

"Birthday breakfast, for the birthday girl!" Sonny cheered, as he carried a lap tray into the bedroom; three little girls following close behind with wrapped boxes and gift bags. 

"For me?" Isabella yawned, as she sat up in bed. "Wow, you guys went all out."

Carefully setting the tray down on her blanket clad lap, Sonny leaned forward and dropped a kiss against her lips. "Anythin' for my girl," he grinned. "Happy birthday, baby. You make 40 look effortless." 

She snorted, "Too bad it doesn't feel great," she mumbled, as he helped the girls up onto the bed. "I'm more tired now, than I was when we had Carina." 

"Well," Sonny sighed, as he sat down on the side of the bed. "You did have a baby three weeks ago..." 

"Mommy! Mommy!" Siena squealed, thrusting the poorly wrapped box towards her. "Open my pressie!" 

Isabella laughed, as Sonny pulled the 5 year old towards his side. "Let Mommy eat first," he said, as Isabella picked up her fork. "You guys tell her about who helped Daddy make the pancakes, while I get Ellie Belly and Theo." 

As quickly as he came in, Sonny was out and across the hall to get the youngest members of the bunch, while Isabella listened to the girls retelling of "who spilled the berries on the floor." 

"Wow, so you all flipped a pancake?" she asked, as they giggled and nodded. "Daddy must've been really brave this morning, letting you guys near the stove top."

"Daddy's crazy, haven't ya heard?" Sonny grinned, as he came back with Ellie and Theo. "Right? Daddy's gone absolutely crazy these last few weeks.." 

Carefully, Sonny deposited Ellie onto the bed, before sitting back down with Theo; the newborn was awake and cooing, content to be in his Father's arms. In a matter of three weeks, Theo looked bigger than he did when they left the hospital. It wasn't a surprise, since all he did was eat, which in return required Isabella to eat more as well. 

"We're  _all_ crazy," Isabella said, picking up her cup of coffee. "That's what happens when you don't get enough sleep, girls. You do crazy things." 

"So go to sleeps," Siena shrugged, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "I go sleeps and I'm not crazy." 

Sonny snorted, as he gently rocked Theo in his arms. "Yeah, you're alright until you eat ya body weight in cookies and ice cream," he teased, which made the 5 year old giggle. 

Ellie screeched, as she crawled up the bed and over to Isabella's side, reaching out for the bacon on the dish. "Ah," Isabella shook her head, pushing the plate away from the chubby fist. "You can't eat that yet, Ellie. Maybe when you're master eating more solids and get a few more teeth.." 

"So, we decided to spend the day outside," Sonny said, as Theo wiggled. "Since we can't take Theo out in public yet, it was the best thing I could think of. And I know you didn't want to take the drive out to Long Island, with the kids.." 

"No thank you," Isabella confirmed. 

He smirked, "So, Frenchie and Dad are coming out around noon," he continued. "And so are Ma and Pop, because they'll come by to see the babies for any reason these days." 

"Aw, sucks being replaced, huh?" Isabella teased, handing a strawberry slice to Ellie. "How do you think I feel? After popping out one kid, Maman didn't want to spend time with me, unless I had a baby with me." 

"Ah, at least they're cute," Sonny shrugged. 

Carina gasped, while Evelina scowled. "Hey!" she cried, her bed-raggled curls swinging past her shoulders. "We're  _always_ cute, Daddy! Mommy says so, since we got that from you!" 

He chuckled, "Nah, you guys got that from Mommy," he said. "Why'd you think I married Mommy?" 

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Mommy only married Daddy because he was a cute boy, which mean I would have cute babies," she teased. "And because he can cook, which means that I don't have to cook all the time anymore." 

"I wanna marry a cute boy, so they can make me breakfast in bed  _everyday!"_ Siena sighed, batting her eyelashes. "Even for my birthday!" 

"You don't need a cute boy to make you breakfast, Si Si," Carina said, rolling her eyes. 

Sonny nodded, "That's right," he agreed, as Theo began to fuss. "Alright, let Mommy finish eatin', that way she can feed Theo.." 

"But! Our pressies!" Evelina whined, as Ellie took it upon herself to stretch out on Sonny's side of the bed. "We workeded so hard on them!" 

Isabella laughed, "I can open them, while feeding your brother," she promised, piercing her fork into a sliced bit of pancake. "Mommy's a pro, girls." 

........................

After feeding the baby and opening the presents; ranging from hand-made crafts by the girls and a new blender from Sonny. 

"Ya know, since your other one crapped out," Sonny said, sheepishly. "If ya don't like it, I can always return it and get ya somethin' else." 

She silenced him with a kiss. "I  _love_ it," she insisted. "I can't wait to take my first trip to the grocery store, just to buy fruits and veggies to blend. The quicker I can start losing this baby weight, the better." 

Along with the blender, came a bangle bracelet with the the letter T for Theo, along with a framed picture of the now family of seven; taken the day they came home from the hospital, by Olivia. 

"Do you like all your presents, Mommy?" Evelina asked, as Sonny cleaned up the wrapping paper. 

"I love them all," Isabella nodded, as she got up with Theo. "Thank you guys for making all these adorable things for me!" 

Taking Theo, Sonny gave her another kiss. "Girls, why don't you go in Carina and Lina's room? Take Ellie and play with your dollies, and I'll be there in a minute to play." 

Evelina and Siena ran out of the room, while Carina took Ellie's hand into hers. "Ah, the sensible one," Sonny snorted, as he and Isabella watched them leave the room. "I hope they weren't too overwhelmin', first thing in the mornin'." 

"I've had ten years of crazy wake up calls, Sonny," Isabella giggled. "This is nothing new for me. In fact, it was a wonderful way to start the day. Breakfast with my favorite people in the entire world. " 

"Well, this whole day is for you," he promised. "I mean, everyday is about you, but today? Nine months ago, I pictured a different way of celebratin' your big 4-0, but this lil' guy decided to show up." 

Theo yawned widely, as Sonny tickled his sock clad foot. "Ah, but he's one of the best things about turning 40," Isabella said, smiling down at the newborn. "Not only did he come into our lives, he came in being a healthy and beautiful little boy." 

They both looked at Theo, who was beginning to doze off, going into his first nap of the day. "I'll go put him down in the crib," Sonny whispered. "You go and take a shower and get ready for the day." 

Nodding, Isabella carefully handed the boy over to him, before stretching her arms up and over her head. "Come get me if the girls start getting antsy," she said, as Sonny shifted Theo in his arms. "If they start talking back, they'll get nothing after dinner." 

"Yes, Ma'am," Sonny teased, giving her a quick kiss. 

With Isabella heading into the bathroom, Sonny made his way out of the room and across the hall. Setting Theo down in his crib with the mobile playing a lullaby, Sonny closed the door halfway behind him and went down to the next bedroom, where the beginnings of a tantrum were starting up. 

"Do I hear fightin'?" Sonny called out, as he pushed the door open to the bedroom. "Really guys? You're gonna start actin' up now, on Mommy's birthday? Let's clean this mess up and find somethin' pretty to wear, alright? Everyone's comin' over soon to spend the day with us, so I know you guys wanna look cute for pictures and whatnot..." 

.....................

"Are ya gonna put my kid down at some point? I mean, I'm sure there are other people who wanna hold him," Sonny said, placing a bottle of apple juice down on the patio table. 

Noelle just smiled and shook her head, "They'll just have to wait," she said, as Theo grasped her pointer finger in his tiny hand. "He's so precious, I could eat him up." 

Sonny suppressed an eye roll, as he went back inside to get more food. "Ya Mom is weird as hell," he mumbled, as Isabella cut up a banana for Ellie. "She's lookin' at our son like he's a figgin' macaroon or somethin'." 

"Ah, they barely get the chance to come out here, Sonny," Isabella reminded him. "Unlike your parents, who are a ferry ride away, mine aren't. And, in their old age, they are enjoying their retirement.." 

"Yeah, but doesn't mean Frenchie has to hog the baby for herself," Sonny pointed out. "They can enjoy their retirement, by comin' over more often, instead of jettin' off here and there. I mean, they're almost in their 70s. I'd like to have 'em around more to see our kids.." 

Isabella sighed, "Sonny, can we talk about this at another point in time?" she asked. "I'd really like to enjoy my birthday, without being reminded that our parents are getting older. Or that, my Mom wants to hold Theo. He's her only grandson, since Joey's hellbent on not getting anyone pregnant in the near future. Or at all..." 

Getting the food and the kids outside, the family settled under the shade to eat lunch, before the girls were off running around the yard. Theo, having slept through lunch, woke with a soiled diaper and empty belly. Taking him upstairs, Angela and Noelle changed the little boy, while Isabella went to get a blanket to cover herself for her nursing session. 

"This little guy eats so much!" Angela shook her head, as Isabella leaned back in her chair; the baby in her arms and attached at the breast. "Reminds me so much of Sonny when he was a newborn. All he wanted to do was eat.." 

"Looks like some things never change, huh?" Isabella snickered, as Sonny blushed. 

While Theo fed, the girls ran about with a ball, while Ellie sat with Dominick. "Why don't you wanna play, Ellie?" he asked, as the toddler pulled at his hand. "Hm? I'm sure ya could steal that ball right from under their noses." 

Ellie shook her head, tucking her face into his chest. "Ah, Ellie likes to cuddle more than anythin'," Sonny chuckled, as Dominick gently patted Ellie's back. "She rather not get too involved with those three, when they're rough. But with me? Forget about it! She packs a mean punch, just like her Mother." 

"Dada!" Ellie shrieked, scowling at him. 

"And that's my cue to stop talkin' about her," Sonny said, holding his hands up. "I'm gonna supervise the future Olympic soccer team, so we can avoid the a trip to the hospital.." 

....................

After presents and a mix of cake and cupcakes, the grandparents left and it was time to round up five children for bed. Between baths and being bribed into reading more than one bedtime story, Sonny and Isabella finally collapsed into bed a little after nine that night. 

"I'm exhausted," Isabella sighed, as she rested her head upon Sonny's chest. "I forget easily, how tired one can get, when hosting festivities.." 

"At least the next time we have to have anyone over, it'll be for Evelina and Siena's birthdays," he mused. "Maybe we'll get lucky and one of my Sisters will host Thanksgivin' and Christmas this year." 

Isabella snorted, "I doubt it," she sighed, stretching her legs out under the blankets. 

The air conditioning unit hummed in the darkness of their room, as the baby monitor on Sonny's nightstand crackled with static; the sleepy coos from Theo filtering in between. Other than that, the house was silent, save for the running air conditioners and the sound of the cats running around in the hallway. 

"Good birthday?" Sonny asked, after a few minutes of silence. 

" _Perfect_ birthday," Isabella said, sighing happily and she gave his waist a squeeze. "Couldn't have asked for a better day, Sonny." 

"Good," Sonny said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I didn't want ya to think I wasn't plannin' anythin' for the day. Between the havin' Theo, recoverin' and tryin' to get back into a normal routine..." 

Isabella looked up at him, "I would've been happy, either way, with whatever," she admitted. "Even if you wished me a simple "happy birthday," and I was bombarded with hundreds of crayon scribbled pictures." 

He scoffed, "I couldn't do that to ya," he said, shaking his head. "If anyone should have a memorable birthday, it's you. You do so much for us- the girls, Theo and I- that you deserve to be spoiled on your birthday. Every day for that matter." 

"You spoil me a bit too much." 

"Well, you're my number one girl," Sonny said. "I wouldn't have this life, if I didn't have you. You deserve everythin' in the world, Iz." 

Snuggling closer to him, Isabella yawned as he pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. "Well, can you start by rubbing my back?" she asked, tucking her nose into his shirt. 

Sonny snickered, his hand moving slowly up and down her back. "I can do that," he nodded, as she let out a happy sigh. "Tomorrow, I'll put together ya blender and make a smoothie for ya." 

"Sounds wonderful," Isabella murmured, as she began to doze off. "Hmmm, feels nice." 

"Go to sleep, birthday girl," Sonny said, shifting his head against the pillow. "I love ya." 

Isabella draped her foot over his leg, "Love ya too," she sighed, as sleep came to her quickly. 


	97. tech savvy

"Son of a- what the fuck!" 

Sonny looked up from the book he was reading from, turning his attention towards the kitchen. After a few more curses and grumbling, he finally spoke up. "Iz?" he called out. "You alright in there, babe?" 

A few seconds later, Isabella came out of the kitchen, with her I-Pad in hand. "This piece of shit isn't working!" she snapped, shaking the device in her hand. "I don't know why, since I barely use it to begin with!" 

"Lemme see," Sonny said, holding his hand out. "It's probably the wi-fi or somethin'.." 

Handing it over, Isabella plopped down in the arm chair, while Sonny fiddled around with the settings, before finding the root of the problem. "Just needs to be updated is all," he shrugged, clicking on the option to update the software. "Just plug it in and click on this thing here...shouldn't take that long.." 

Doing what he said, Isabella plugged the I-Pad in the kitchen, before coming back into the living room. "How do you know about all these tech things?" she asked, her legs hanging over the arm of the chair. "I'm lucky if I can even use the photo editor and power point.." 

"Ah, I'm big on that stuff," Sonny shrugged. "You know me and all the electronic shit, Iz. Remember when we got that TV for our bedroom, when we moved into our first apartment together?" 

"Ugh, do I ever," she shuddered. "Though, the one we have now upstairs.... now that's a contraption that I never want to take apart again." 

Sonny snorted, "That stuff comes easy to me," he shrugged. "Plus, it's nice to be aware of these things, bein' a detective and all.." 

Isabella sighed, "Well, at least you're more than just a pretty face," she teased, which made him shake his head. "Hopefully it's not broken, Sonny. With my luck, Carina and Lina got their sticky lil' hands on it and tried playing one of my games." 

'Well, you _did_ teach our six year old how to play Candy Crush," he remarked. "And it's bad enough that she's currently in a battle with Raf, over Words With Friends. I think that game is on our phones and tablets, just so she can play against him when we're out." 

"Like you're any better," Isabella scoffed. "I know you've been play that Disney Magic Kingdom game! I heard you asking Carina the other night about one of the characters you had to unlock. And where to put Belle's house in the park." 

Sonny blushed, "Don't hate my park skills, Iz," he huffed, opening the book back to where he left off. "It's not my fault you don't know how to strategically play a game like that." 

Getting up, Isabella went to check on the tablet, bringing it back out for Sonny to check again. Running a few of the applications, Sonny nodded and handed it back to her. "Looks good," he said, as Isabella took it from him. "You just gotta update it more often and move some of those pictures to the cloud." 

"The what?" Isabella frowned. 

"Ya know," Sonny shrugged. "The cloud. It's where you store everythin' and you can make more room on your devices. You have so much shit on there, between pictures and games that take up a lot of space..." 

Isabella nodded slowly, the I-Pad in her hands. "Can you.... show me how to do that?" she asked, smiling innocently at him. 

Sonny sighed, dropping the book on the sofa next to him. "C'mon," he sighed, patting the sofa cushion. "Book was borin' to begin with..." 

Giggling, Isabella moved to lay out next to him, handing over the tablet in the process. "Just remember," she started, as Sonny started fiddling with the apps. "We still have to pick the girls up from daycare at three-thirty." 

"I'll try to make this quick and painless," Sonny started. "But knowin' you? We'll be doin' this for years, until you finally get it." 

....................

Sonny fiddled with the laptop before him, as Carina paced back and forth, huffing in distress with each step. 

"Carina, the more you do that, the more you're gonna stress," Sonny warned, as checked the drives on her laptop. "I can only go so fast here, sweetheart." 

"I don't understand though!" Carina huffed. "It's a brand new laptop, Dad! I've only been using it for a week and now it's not working!" 

Sonny suppressed an eye roll and he started a download for Google Chrome. "Carina, why don't you sit down and eat somethin'?" he suggested, as the download began. "Food always solves the world's problems.." 

The teenager sent him a withering glare, looking eerily like her Mother in the process, which made Sonny shudder. "Jesus, I was only kiddin'," he muttered, as the download finished. "Alright, sign in and see if it works now.." 

Typing in her credentials, Carina let out a relieved sigh, as she was greet with the main screen of her Blackboard account. "Oh thank god," she sighed, clicking around to make sure the pages opened. "Thanks, Daddy!" 

"You're welcome," he chuckled, as Carina hugged him. "Just.. try not to smash ya fists on the keyboard, alright? This computer wasn't cheap ya know.." 

Standing from the chair, Sonny made his way out of the bedroom and across the hall, checking in on Ellie and Siena. "You two alright in here?" he asked, leaning against the door frame. 

"We're playin' with my barbies!" Ellie squealed, holding up one of her mangled dolls for him to see. 

"Wow.." Sonny gasped, internally wincing at the shape of the doll. "Barbie looks great, Ellie." 

The nine year old giggled, before turning her attention back to the doll house before her. "You two play nice, alright?" Sonny nodded. "I'm gonna start dinner soon..." 

Checking in on Theo and finding him watching a movie, Sonny headed into the master bedroom, where Isabella was currently putting away the laundry. "Did you fix her computer?" she asked, as Sonny kissed her on the cheek, before laying out across the bed. "Sonny! I just folded all of this!" 

"It's fixed," he snorted, as she tugged a few shirts from underneath him. "I downloaded Chrome for her, since Safari is not compatible for that program she uses. I still can't believe colleges use Blackboard! I used that shit back when I was in St. Johns. Hell, I don't even think Fordham had Blackboard, now that I think about it.." 

"I'm surprised you can remember back that far," Isabella smirked, as she folded a pair of sweatpants. 

Sonny rolled his yes, "Just because I'm fifty, doesn't mean I'm goin' senile," he said, as she moved around the room. "If anythin', I forget things because I work long days and get little sleep.."

Closing the dresser drawers, Isabella made her way back over to the bed, moving the laundry basket to the floor. "If you say so.." she said, moving to lay out next to him. "You gonna start dinner soon?"

"Of course," Sonny sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Since you don't wanna cook.."

"Ah, but you do it so much  _better,"_ she whined, nudging him with her hand. "You're better at everything, Sonny. Fixing computers and making dinners..." 

"God, I hate to think about how you'd survive if I went undercover or somethin'," he sighed, shaking his head. "I'll go start dinner. You wrangle up the monsters and have 'em clean up the mess downstairs?" 

Isabella nodded, "After dinner, can you clear out the DVR?" she asked. "We finished watching everything on it last weekend, but still can't figure out how to delete stuff.." 

He snorted as he got up from the bed, "Of course," he nodded, moving towards the door. "Ya know, one day you guys are gonna have to figure out how to do these things on ya own." 

"Why?" Isabella asked, propping herself up on her elbow. "You plan on running away anytime soon?"

"Where can I go?" Sonny snorted. "You married a cop, sweetheart. Our friends could find me in a day, if I ever thought to jump ship." 

.................

Isabella fiddled with the camera on the little folding table, as Sonny kissed his way up her back and to her shoulder. "You got it there?" he asked, as she muttered. 

"I think so," she sighed, turning the view screen over. "Red dot means it's recording, right?" 

"Mmhmm," Sonny hummed, pushing her hair over one shoulder. "You're learnin' quickly there, doll." 

She giggled, rolling onto her back, giving him room to hover over her. "I googled," she admitted, as Sonny laced his fingers through hers; their hands clasped and resting near her head. "Wanted to impress you..." 

Sonny smiled at her, "You impress me everyday," he said, leaning down to kiss her. "You ready?" 

"Yeah," Isabella nodded. "I can't believe we're doing this. Making a sex tape! Haven't done that since before we got married.." 

"Neither can I," Sonny admitted, as she moved to lay across the bed horizontally. "It's just you and me, baby. But, if you get uncomfortable, you tell me. I'll turn the thing off and we just do our thing like we've always been doin'." 

Two and a half hours and one filled vid-chip later, Sonny and Isabella laid sprawled out and tangled in their bedsheets; sweaty and satisfied. The camera had been long turned off, capturing every move, sound and angle of their little show. 

"I probably look awful," Isabella sighed, as Sonny twirled his fingers in her hair. "Meanwhile, you look like a Greek god." 

Sonny chuckled, "I'm anythin' but a Greek god these days," he said, as she rolled over to lay her head upon his chest. "Like you, I'm facin' the same hurdles of agin', Iz." 

The air conditioner hummed, after being off for a few hours, filling the room with a cool breeze. Reaching for hte sheets, Sonny pulled them up to cover both himself and Isabella, before wrapping his arm around her waist. 

"We could watch it tomorrow," he offered, as she rolled onto her side to face him. "Then hide it somewhere, so that no one finds it." 

"Or delete it." 

Sonny chuckled, "Why?" he asked, as Isabella cuddled up to him. "Don't ya wanna keep it and look back on it in ten years? Or when we're really old and can't have sex anymore, without the risk of breakin' a hip?" 

Isabella sighed, "Hey," Sonny said gently. "You're sexy as hell, Iz. Fifty-two and I'm still blown away by you, baby." 

"Sonny.." she whined, embarrassed. 

"You're a goddess, Isabella," Sonny insisted, brushing her hair away from her forehead. "Just as much as you were, when I first met you. Twenty-six years ago." 

Isabella tucked her face against his chest, before looking up at him. "I love you," she whispered, as his hand came to rest against the back of her head. 

"I love you too," Sonny nodded, before kissing her. 

Settling down for an evening without the kids at home, Isabella rested her head against Sonny's chest and stared off into the darkness. Sighing happily, as Sonny's finger tips moved up and down her bare back, Isabella closed her eyes and relaxed. 

Then, suddenly, she opened her eyes and frowned. "Sonny?" 

"Hmmm?" 

"That video won't travel to the cloud, right?" 

Sonny's laughter echoed off the walls, as he tucked his face into her hair. "No, baby," he shook his head, pulling her closer to his side. "It won't go to the cloud. It's just for our eyes only.." 

 


	98. Sergeant Carisi

Isabella sat down at the table, watching as her husband made his way over to it with two drinks in hand. It had been a long day, which started extra early for them, with the girls running amok in the house. Now, with the kids off spending the night with Dominick and Angela, Sonny and Isabella were able to have a night to themselves. 

"A blackberry gin and tonic for the lady," he greeted, setting the glass down in front of her, before sliding into the seat next to hers. "And a good ol' beer for me." 

"Ah, thank you," Isabella said, as she picked up her drink for a sip. "Hmmm, yummy." 

Sonny chuckled as he took a swig from his drink, "It's startin' to pick up in here," he noted, eyeing the crowds of newly promoted NYPD officers and their dates. "Everyone's minglin' and shit." 

She nodded, "You should go mingle too, Sonny," she said, setting her glass down. "I mean, it's your big night." 

"Yeah, but I can also sit and spend time with my wife," he pointed out. "I mean, after all, you're my numba one cheerleader, Iz. Without you, I wouldn't be here tonight." 

"You became Sergeant all on your own, Sonny," Isabella pointed out. "Not because of me." 

Wrapping his arm around the back of her chair, Sonny leaned in a kissed her. "You encouraged me," he reminded her. "Besides, it's our first big night out on the town since Ellie was born. Me wearin' this stiff dress uniform. You wearin' this gorgeous dress, which I can't wait to get you out of later..." 

It had been a good year and a half, since they last had a night out without the kids; a long weekend upstate, two months before finding out about Ellie. Their precious miracle of an eight month old, who kept them up all night with teething and wanting to hang out with her parents. Sending her, along with their three eldest, to his parents for the night, was both a difficult but welcoming gift. They had been there earlier that day, as Sonny received his official Sergeant's badge and award. The entire family had come out to watch Sonny on the stage, with New York's finest. 

Afterwards, they went back home to get the kids ready for the sleepover, while Isabella changed into something a little more elegant for the big party. A sleeveless, chiffon gown in a deep green, which made Sonny swoon, when she came down the staircase. Having lost most of the weight she gained with Ellie, Isabella felt confident that night; showing off her still ample cleavage and a bit of leg, as the skirt swished around her. The sight of her alone, all dolled up and ready for a night out on the town, made everyone crazy. Giving the girls hugs and kisses, they watched as Dominick and Angela drove back to Staten Island, while Noelle and Antonio went back to Long Island. After that, it was a subway ride into Manhattan, for a night that was child free. 

"Is that why you won't socialize tonight?" Isabella asked, leaning closer to her husband. "Afraid someone's gonna come and sweep me off my feet?" 

"They wish," Sonny snorted. "Everyone knows you're my girl, Iz. They'd be crazy to try and start somethin' here, with me around." 

Isabella giggled, "Down, boy," she teased, laying her hand against his chest. "If you can keep yourself under control while we're here, I'll reward you with something extra nice, when we go home." 

....................

A quarter after ten, Isabella was tipsy. Between fruity cocktails and finger foods, Isabella felt the alcohol hit her a bit too hard, by the time the SVU squad and Rafael came to the table. 

"What time are you guys getting your girls tomorrow?" Chief Dodd's asked, as he kept his arm along the back of Olivia's chair. "I hope it's not too early.." 

Amanda snorted, as Isabella giggled and nearly toppled backwards off Sonny's lap. "Whoa," she gasped, as Sonny kept his arm around her waist. "Thank you, Sergeant." 

Olivia and Fin looked at each other, rolling their eyes, as the couple snuggled and kissed across from them. "Hey, try to keep it family friendly!" Fin said, as Isabella pressed a kiss against Sonny's lips. "Last thing I wanna do, is arrest the two of you for public indecency." 

"I can't help it if my wife find's me hot," Sonny said, tipsy himself. 

"The ego is still strong with this one, huh?" Amanda asked, shaking her head. 

Isabella picked up her drink to take another sip, before turning her attention to Sonny. "I have to pee," she announced, pouting at him. 

Olivia snorted, rapping her knuckles lightly against the tabletop, before turning to look at William. "Kids," he sighed, shaking his head. 

"Let's go," Sonny said, as Isabella stood up. "We'll be back.." 

"She needs a chaperone?" Fin asked, as the couple started away from the table. "Really?" 

"Anyone could snatch her up!" Sonny called, as he looked over his shoulder at the gang. "We'll be right back!" 

As the couple quickly rushed off, going the opposite direction of where the bathrooms were located, the squad looked at each other and shook their heads. "Unbelievable," Fin said, shaking his head. "Can't even wait until they're home?" 

"Oh, like you didn't have your fair share of public indecency when you were their age," Amanda scoffed. 

"I just hope to god they find a closet or something," Olivia shook her head. "I would really like to avoid a meeting with the brass, trying to explain how my newly promoted Sergeant was caught having sex with his wife at a NYPD-hosted party." 

................

Sonny managed to get the lacy panties back up Isabella's legs, before wrapping his arms back around her waist. Isabella gave him a tired smile, as she gripped the shoulder of his dress shirt, trying to keep herself steady against the wall. 

"Ya good?" he asked, as she panted in the dimly lit room. 

"Yeah," she nodded. "You?" 

Sonny looked down at her, taking in the flush that filled her cheeks and her chest, along with the loose strands of hair that stuck to her neck. "I'm more than good," he confirmed, which made her laugh. "I can't handle myself when I'm around ya, Iz. You're gonna get me in trouble one of these days.." 

Isabella scoffed, "At least you can go back downstairs, looking like nothing happened," she huffed, as Sonny tucked his shirt back into his pants. "Me on the other hand? I probably have makeup smudged on my face and my hair is a mess..." 

"You look gorgeous, doll," Sonny said, giving her another kiss, as he buckled his belt. "And, I could've done a lot worse, ya know. That dress would be in shreds, if I couldn't help myself.." 

She felt a tingle run down her spine and through her groin, which made her clench her thighs together. "Dominick..." Isabella warned, as he moved his hands down her arms and to her hips. "You're making it really hard for me to wanna leave this room." 

"How do you think I feel?" Sonny chuckled. "I'm tryin' not to pop a boner here, Iz." 

"You and your short refractory period," Isabella groaned, as Sonny peppered her neck with kisses. 

Sonny hummed against her heated flesh. "How about we go downstairs, say our goodbyes and head home?" he suggested, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hm? I'll take ya home and get you out of these clothes? Have my way with ya in our bed and not in a janitor's closet." 

Isabella nodded, "Maybe take a shower too, since this place smells," she muttered. 

Together, they made their way out of the closet and down the hallway to the elevator. "Did you really have ta pee?" Sonny asked, as they stepped into the elevator car. 

"I do now," Isabella said, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I just said it before, so we could sneak off..." 

Stopping to use the bathroom for real this time, they eventually made their way back to the table, which seemed much emptier now. "Amanda left?" Sonny asked, as he reached for his uniform jacket.

"Sitter called," Fin shrugged, picking up his beer. "Jess is running a fever and throwing up.." 

"Aw man," Sonny sighed. "That sucks." 

William looked down at his watch, "I think we're gonna head out," he said, seeing the time. "Relieve Lucy from the monster, so that girl can enjoy the weekend off." 

Collecting their things, the group made their way out to the main lobby, retrieving their coats. "See ya guys on Monday," Fin said, giving them a pointed salute. 

"Are you two alright taking the subway?" William asked, as he and Olivia waited at the curb for a cab. "We could take the next one.." 

"Nah, we're good," Sonny nodded, as Isabella wrapped her arm around his. "The fresh air will do us some good.." 

Olivia snorted, "I hope that I won't hear about this, come Monday morning?" she asked, eyeing the couple before her. 

Sonny frowned, "I have no idea what you're talkin' about, Captain," he said, as Isabella giggled. "Night guys!" 

"They are quite the pair those two," William sighed, as they watched the couple walk off into the night. "Kids these days..." 

.................

Another tumble, this time in their bed, followed by a shared hot shower, Isabella downed three glasses of water before moving to clean the clothes up from the floor. 

"Ugh," she scoffed, holding up the dress in her hands. "Did you really have to wipe yourself off on my dress, Sonny? How am I going to explain this to the dry cleaning people?"

Sonny yawned, "What did ya want me to do, Iz?" he asked, shifting against the pillows. "It had ta go somewhere, since you're not on the pill." 

Taking the dress into the bathroom, Isabella quickly ran the stained portion of the gown under cold water, before tossing the dress over the curtain rod. "Maybe aim for the floor?" she suggested, turning the light off in the bathroom. "Or just tuck yourself back into your pants. I mean, I didn't have anything to wipe myself with.." 

"It's done and over with, Iz," Sonny mumbled, as she climbed into bed next to him. "It's the method we've been goin' with for the last eight months, since you haven't made another appointment with Dr. Brown since your six week follow up." 

"We'll have to make time to go," Isabella sighed, pulling the blankets up to her chin, before rolling onto her belly. "Hmm, I'm sleepy now." 

Sonny looked over at her, "Well, fruity cocktails and three orgasms will do that to ya," he shrugged, rolling onto his side. "At least we don't have to get the kids til tomorrow afternoon." 

She sighed, "And that's if they even want to come home," she pointed out. "Especially since they're with your parents this time. Maman doesn't make them anything they really like, when they have to spend time there. At least at the Carisi household, they feast upon bowls of pasta and fancy meats and cheeses." 

"'S'Not my fault ya Mom thinks snails are considered an appropriate dish for a bunch of kids," he muttered. 

"She doesn't eat snails all the time," Isabella yawned, stretching her legs underneath the blankets. "I had fun tonight, Sonny. We should have date night more often." 

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Sonny moved closer to her side; the body heat radiating off him, made Isabella nearly purr, as she snuggled closer to him. "Whatever ya want, Iz," he said, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "Whatever ya want."   
  


................

When Theodore Giovanni Carisi was born nine months later, during a hurricane, Isabella took in the sight of her husband and their baby boy. 

"Ya know," Sonny started, as he shifted the newborn in his arms. "To think this all started on our first date night, after Ellie was born. Who would've thought it would result in this, huh?" 

"He's lucky he's cute," Isabella yawned. "And that you look really good, holding babies." 

Sonny grinned, as the night sky lit up with lightning; the wind picking up and splattering the rain against the windows. "At least we won't have to worry about anymore surprise babies, the next time we have a night alone." 

Isabella sighed, pulling the itchy hospital blanket up to her chest. "We'll be lucky if we ever get another date night again," she muttered. "You got a promotion and a son, while I gained back all my baby weight from Ellie, plus another fifteen pounds.  _And,_ I pushed a human being out of my vagina again, which will require months of healing. I don't see how that's fair..." 

"Well, ya got a cute lil' baby," Sonny said, as Theo cooed. "I think that's the best gift out of everythin', Iz." 

"Better than being promoted at work?" 

He nodded, smiling down at the baby boy in his arms. "This is nothin' compared to work," he said, cradling Theo's head in the palm of his hand. "This.. this is better than bein' promoted at work, doll. Anythin' that has to do with you and our children? I'd take it over a thousand promotions or whatever life has to offer me." 

Smiling as Sonny talked to the little boy, who yawned and wiggled in his cocoon of blankets, Isabella closed her eyes and gave into her exhaustion.  _Yes,_ she thought, as she fell into a slumber.  _This was definitely better._


	99. Take Your Kid to Work Day?

"Why is your four year old sitting at your desk, Carisi?" 

Sonny sighed, as he set the handful of vending machine snacks on the desktop. "I'm sorry, Cap," he said, as Olivia smiled at Theo. "School called while I was on my way in, like literally as I got up from the subway. Apparently, they "never" got the updated medical forms that the doctor  _and_ Iz  _both_ faxed over. Had to go all the way back home, just to pick him up from the daycare. Why I'm payin' them all this money, when they lose everythin', is beyond me. " 

"Ah," Olivia nodded, as Theo watched the adults closely. 

"They tried callin' Iz, but she's in the middle of a big department meeting," Sonny shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm tryin' to get either my Ma or Frenchie on the phone, in hopes that one of 'em can come scoop this lil' guy up.." 

Olivia nodded again, "Well, if anything, he can crash in my office if Amanda and Charlie come back with a potential perp," she said. "I did remember to restock my candy drawer and stickers." 

"Stickies!" Theo squealed, as Sonny snorted. "Daddy, can I stay? I don't wanna go home!" 

"For now? Yes," Sonny nodded, which made the four year old squeal. "But.. if it get's crazy here, I'm gonna try to get Grandma or Nonna to come get you. Otherwise, you'll have to sit in Zia Olivia's office and be a really good boy." 

Theo nodded, as Olivia fixed him with a serious face. "Are you gonna be a good boy, Theo?" she asked, as her nephew turned to look at her. "This isn't like Mommy's job, where there's other children around." 

The little blonde head bobbed up and down, "I be on my  _bestest_ behavior, Zia Liv!" he said, saluting her. "Daddy says if I'm always good, I gets ice cream." 

"Oh god, just what his Motha loves to hear," Sonny snorted, shaking his head. "Alright, buddy. I got ya snacks and a tablet filled with educational videos, all with your name on it." 

"I'll be in my office," Olivia said, as she started for it. "Let me know when you're ready for lunch, Carisi. It'll be my treat, since I rarely get to have special guests that are super adorable around here." 

Sonny chuckled, as he opened a bag of pretzels for Theo. "I thought I was super adorable?" he teased, which made the Captain laugh. "See Theo, ya just had to steal my thunder!" 

Giggling as he munched on a pretzel, Theo slouched down in the office chair. "Mommy says you is cute, Daddy," he nodded, as Sonny took the chair next to him. "And that I'm cute, because I'm a little you!" 

"Mommy's right about that," Sonny nodded, getting a pair of headphones out for the tablet. "Alright, game or movie?" 

"Movie," Theo nodded, as Sonny opened the video player, taking note of all the Disney and superhero films that had been stored on the server. Finding a somewhat lengthy film, Sonny put the headphones in and got Theo situated with them. Once he was consumed with superheroes and junk food, the boy sat quietly at his Father's side. Keeping his cellphone next to his laptop, Sonny got to work on the mountain of paperwork that seemed to never end. 

.....................

"But I don't  _wanna_ take a nap," Theo whined, as Sonny gently settled the boy down on the couch. "I wanna stay up and help catch the bad guys, Daddy." 

"Shhh," Sonny said gently, as he covered Theo with a blanket. "You need to take a lil nap, buddy. I can't catch the bad guys without my partner, if he's fallin' asleep." 

After consuming nearly half a pie of pizza, Sonny had Theo washed up and in a pull-up, before setting him down for a nap in Olivia's office. With Isabella still in her meeting, Sonny had no luck getting anyone on the phone to take the boy home. Luckily, Sonny was able to avoid going out, as Amanda and Charlie came and went throughout the morning and mid-afternoon. 

"You can help me catch the bad guys later," Sonny said quietly, as he stroked Theo's head gently. "Just close ya eyes and rest.." 

Within minutes, Theo was out cold and snoring, clutching his teddy bear to his chest. Standing, Sonny quietly made his way out of Olivia's office, shutting the door behind him. "Are you sure it's alright for him to sleep in there?" he asked, as Olivia put together a cup of tea for herself. "I mean.. I feel bad that ya can't have your office to yaself.." 

"Please," Olivia snorted, as Sonny made himself a cup of coffee. "Sometimes it's nice to get out of there and onto the floor. If I spent all my time cooped up in there, my squad would run wild.." 

"Ah, you should see him at home," Sonny chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know which of the five of them are the worst. Carina's not so bad, but between the other three and Theo? Kid's a beast and worse than Lina was at his age." 

Olivia laughed, "Well, I can't imagine what it's like, being the only boy," she shrugged. "Besides, Lina's always been wild, Sonny. Since the moment she started crawling, we all knew you and Iz would always been on your toes with her." 

"Which is why we encouraged her to join a sport," he shook his head. "Soccer in the fall and lacrosse in the spring, that way she has a chance in nailing a scholarship.." 

"I can't believe you two are already thinking about college," Olivia whistled, shaking her head. "How did they become middle schoolers so fast? I remember when you and Iz brought Carina and Evelina home from the hospital.." 

Sonny nodded, "Tell me about it," he said, fiddling with the top of the coffee cup. "Rina is dead set on Fordham, which is gonna be a pain in the ass to get all the financial aid in process. Lina doesn't really care too much about college, because she "hates" school..." 

"What about the other three?" 

"Well," Sonny sighed, setting the coffee cup down on the counter, before leaning against it; his arms folded across his chest. "Sienna changes her mind almost every single day, so Iz and I are thinkin' she'll be the one to change her major a coupla times before settlin'." 

Olivia snorted, "Ellie wants to be like Mommy and study Princesses and Princes, because Mommy "teaches fairytales" at work all day," Sonny laughed. "And Theo wants to either be a cop like me or a dinosaur doctor. I can't find it in me to tell him the truth about the dinosaurs, so Iz and I just encourage him to study up on 'em with books and lil' youtube videos.." 

"You two are doing a great job," Olivia said, surprising Sonny. "You've raised this amazing family, with five wonderful little minds, Sonny. And, in our line of work, it's not always easy to do that. But you? You and Isabella have made it work in all these years.." 

He blushed, "It's mostly Iz," he murmured, shrugging. "She's got them most of the day and all summer long..." 

But Olivia shook her head, "It's you as well," she insisted. "The way the girls and Theo light up when they see you? And it's not because you work odd hours and go a few days without seeing them all day. Its' because you make an effort to be there for them. To go to every school function, PTA meeting, meet the teacher night. You make sure to be home in time for dinner and bedtime routines. Not many parents in this field can say they get the same opportunities." 

At that moment, her phone started to ring. "I'll be right back," she said, excusing herself. "And, I meant what I said, Sonny. Don't doubt yourself, ever." 

...................

Getting out early, Sonny managed to get one cranky little boy ready for the trip home; as Olivia sent him off around four-thirty, to meet Isabella at home. 

"We're gonna go home to see Mommy and your sisters," Sonny said, as he picked Theo up. "Maybe we'll have noodles for dinner, unless Mommy beat us to the kitchen." 

"Ice cream, Daddy," Theo mumbled, as Sonny picked up his work bag and Theo's tote bag. 

He nodded, "Don't worry, you'll get your ice cream," Sonny promised, as he waved goodbye to Olivia. "And, since Mommy's off tomorrow, maybe we'll let ya stay home with her." 

Getting back into Queens by twenty after five, Sonny was relieved to find the car parked in the driveway and the lights on in the house. By that point, Theo had been dozing in and out, drooling against Sonny's shoulder throughout the subway ride and short walk to the house. Digging in his pocket for the keys, Sonny unlocked the front door and stepped inside the house. 

"DADDY'S HOME!" Ellie screeched, as the girls ran around the house; the television blaring and Isabella yelling from the kitchen. 

Sienna rushed into the hallway screeching, "Daddy! Daddy!" she threw her arms around his leg. 

"Hey, baby doll," Sonny greeted her, ruffling her hair. "Did ya have a good day at school?" 

"Uh huh!" she nodded, following him through the house to the kitchen. "I got a hundred on my spelling test!" 

Sonny gasped, "You did?" he asked, as Sienna nodded. "Atta girl, Si Si! You know what that calls for, right?" 

The seven year old giggled, "I wanna eat pizza on Sunday!" she nodded. "But, not the pizza you get at the pizza house, Daddy. I wanna make your pizza at home, with the silly eye-talian songs and we sing and dance!" 

"We'll pick up everythin' on Saturday," Sonny promised, as they both stepped into the kitchen. 

Isabella looked up from the counter, where she chopped romaine hearts for a salad. "My two handsome boys!" she greeted, as Sonny set the bags down on one of the chairs. "I see we both survived a day together at work." 

"He was a perfect lil angel," Sonny teased, coming around the counter to kiss her. "Slept most of the day away, after Liv and I stuffed him full of pizza." 

"Just what he needed," she shook her head, as Theo lifted his head up to look at her. "Hi, baby. Did you have a good day wtih Daddy?" 

Theo nodded, as he rubbed his eyes. "Daddy and I stoppeded the bad guys," he mumbled, as Sonny chuckled. "And I eated pizza and stuffs from the claw machine." 

His Mother giggled, "Well, how about you let Daddy put you down on the couch for a lil' while?" she suggested. "Mommy's making chicken and noodles for you and Ellie." 

"Let's go see what Lina and Ellie are watchin'," Sonny said, as he carried Theo into the living room. 

"DADDY!!" Ellie screeched, as Sienna followed them. 

After greeting the girls and getting them to lower the television, Sonny came back into the kitchen alone. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get him," Isabella said, as she checked on the pasta. "That meeting went on forever." 

He shrugged, "It's alright," he said. "It was a light day and Liv was understandin'. And, he was a good boy. He watched a movie, ate all his lunch and slept until Liv said I could go home for the day." 

"Well, tomorrow I'll be on the phone with his school," she nodded. "I don't understand how they lost his medical forms, when I took him last week for his physical. And both myself and the doctor faxed copies, just to be safe." 

"I know you will," Sonny snorted. "Thank god he goes to Kindergarten in September, Iz. At least there, they know what they're doin' in the office." 

Isabella nodded in agreement, "It'll be nice," she sighed, making her way over to him. "At least he was good for you, Sonny." 

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Sonny pulled her in close. "I wouldn't mind havin' him come to work with me, ya know," he shrugged. 

"What about the girls?" 

"Yeah, I would be out of a job," Sonny snorted. "Lina with that mouth of hers? Carina would have a field day, pretendin' she's the lawyer. Sienna would probably cry the entire time and Ellie would try to charm confessions out of the perps. The Carisi sisters would burn the place to the ground, leaving us all to suffer in the ashes." 

Isabella laughed, "At least they would have fun with you," she shrugged. "Ellie only likes the idea of going with me, until she realizes that we don't have real princes and princesses. Then, it's all tears until I take her out for lunch." 

Sonny snickered, "That's because you won't tell her about the other stuff," he said. "You just taught her about royals and that Beauty and the Beast was based off a real story." 

"And give her a reason to have nightmares?" Isabella asked, shaking her head. 

"It's not like she doesn't have them already, considerin' how every lil' noise sets her off," Sonny shook his head. "I'm gonna head up to shower real quick. If any of 'em start actin' up, they're goin' into the holdin' cell at work." 

Making his way out of the kitchen, Sonny paused and peered into the living room; all five of his children took over, lounging on couches and on the floor, their eyes glued to the television. Theo managed to keep his eyes open, as his sisters watched another Harry Potter movie; four nights and counting, as they binged through the films. 

"Daddy looks like Hagrid when he doesn't shave his face!" Sienna giggled. 

"Ew, Daddy's not Hagrid!" Evelina scowled, as Sienna continued to giggle. "Daddy's Dumbledore, cuz he's wise and stuffs." 

Carina rolled her eyes, "Can you two be quiet?" she grumbled, reaching for the remote. "Some of us are _trying_ to watch a movie here!" 

Evelina rolled her eyes, "Why? You've already read all the books, Carina," she said, as Carina made a face. 

"Daddy too pretty to be Santa," Ellie pouted. "He's a Prince!" 

"No, Daddy's Cap'in America," Theo said, as he pulled the quilt up to his chin. "He puts away the bad guys." 

Sonny smiled to himself, as the kids continued to debate, as he headed upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Isabella. Thinking back to what Olivia had said, earlier that day, Sonny finally realized how true her words had been. Even with all the bickering and knock down, drag out fights, he would trade any of it for a different life.


	100. Mother's Day

Sonny double checked the pancakes, as the coffee machine gurgled to life on the counter; a much needed part of a daily breakfast, in the Carisi household. Stopping at the corner market on the way home from work the night before, Sonny made sure to have all the essentials. For a family of seven, the number of eggs, bacon and toast had grown over the years. Along with the number of orange juice cartons and the amount of coffee, both the kids and adults consumed. 

At the table, Theo sat in his booster seat, playing quietly with his legos. Up early to use the bathroom, Theo refused to go back to bed, opting to spend some quiet time with Daddy before his sisters were up. There was only so few opportunities for him to do so, considering the fact that he tended to be the hardest to wake up. Flipping the last of the pancakes onto the serving dish, Sonny turned the burner off and moved the tea pot to the burner. 

"Alright Theo," Sonny said, as he set the frying pan and spatula into the sink. "We got a lil' more to do, before we wake Mommy and your sisters up." 

"Egg?" 

Sonny nodded, "I'm gonna make the eggs and bacon now," he said, moving to the fridge to get both. "You wanna help?" 

Theo shook his head, "No tank yew," he said, yawning widely. "I wait for Mama." 

Almost three, Theo didn't really understand the concept of Mother's Day. For him, a trip to the store to get a card and present, was just another ordinary day; Daddy trying to keep four girls from running off, while he sat in the stroller. This year, Sonny was ahead of the game; as soon as the Mother's Day cards were out, he rounded up the kids and had them pick out cards for Isabella, their Grandmother's and their Aunts. Then came presents, which was easy all in itself. Between school and daycare, the kids were all making something for Isabella. Sonny managed to find a gift and left it in his locker at he precinct, since nothing was a secret in the Carisi household. 

When the food was cooked and ready to be served, Sonny carried Theo upstairs to wake the girls. "Now, do not run in there and tackle your Mother," he warned, as the girls stood in the hallway. "Last thing we need, is for Mommy to get hurt and we end up in the ER all day." 

"We won't hurt her," Siena insisted, as Ellie nodded. "We just wanna give her our pressies, Daddy." 

"And eat!" Evelina piped up. 

Shaking his head, Sonny stepped around the girls and opened the bedroom door. "Easy," he whispered, as the girls moved quickly. 

"Mooommmmmmyyyyy!" they cried, swarming the bed; Carina rushed to Isabella's bedside, while Evelina and Siena crawled up at the foot of the bed, leaving Ellie to fend for herself. 

"Hmmm?" Isabella groaned, as Evelina and Siena climbed all over her. "What are you guys doing?" 

Using one arm, Sonny lifted Ellie up and set her on the bed, before shifting Theo against his hip. "Happy Mommy Day!" Carina, Siena and Evelina cried, as Ellie screeched. 

Isabella sat up slowly, moving to sit up against the headboard; her hair a tangled mess and her eyes crusted over with sleep. Rubbing them Isabella looked at her children and gave them a sleepy smile, "Thank you," she said, as Evelina lunged at her for a hug. 

"There's breakfast downstairs," Sonny said. "Coffee, and lots of it, for you." 

"Hmmm, just what I like to hear," Isabella sighed, as she gave her girls each a kiss. "Let Mommy use the bathroom and we can all have breakfast." 

"Pressies too!" Siena nodded, as Isabella got out of bed. 

As the girls rushed off, sans Ellie, Sonny sat down on the edge of the bed. "Oh boy," he sighed, as Theo giggled at his sister. "It's a good thing I left all the food on the counter." 

Isabella laughed from the bathroom, as Ellie laid out on her belly. "Good thinking, otherwise we would be eating cereal," she said, flushing the toilet. 

"Daddy, I hungry now," Ellie said, as she rolled from side to side. 

"Soon, Ellie Belly," Sonny said, tickling her with one hand. "I made a lot for breakfast, since you guys eat like ya starvin'." 

Coming out of the bathroom, Isabella pulled her hair up into a bun, before moving to pick Ellie up off the bed. "Ready?" she asked, as the four year old nodded. 

Standing up, Sonny leaned down to kiss her, "Happy Mother's Day," he said, as she smiled up at him. 

"Thank you, baby," Isabella said, as she reached out to tickle Theo's foot. "I hope you didn't go all out for me, Sonny." 

"Me? Go all out for my wife? The Mother of my beautiful children?" Sonny scoffed, as they started downstairs. "Iz, you wound me. How could I  _not_ go all out for you?" 

Rounding the corner, Isabella founded the kitchen table set for seven, along with four girls; impatiently waiting with their presents and cards, as balloons and flowers sat in the middle of the table. "Yeah," Sonny started, as Theo giggled. "I went a _bit_  overboard this year." 

At the table, the girls squealed and called out for Isabella, as she made her way over to them. "Wow," Isabella whistled, eyeing the decorations. "Look how beautiful!" 

"It's all for you, Mommy!" Carina nodded, as she kneeled on her seat. "We love you, Mommy!" 

"WE LOVE YOU, MOMMY!!!" Evelina and Siena shouted, as Ellie chanted "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy," over and over again. 

In Sonny's arms, Theo clapped his hands, "Mama!" he squeaked, as Sonny tickled him lightly, before setting him down in his booster seat. 

"Alright, ladies," Sonny said, once Theo was strapped into his seat. "Let's get some breakfast into those bellies! We got presents still to open!" 

................

After breakfast, opening presents and cards, Sonny sent the kids off to watch cartoons in the living room. 

"Like all your presents?" Sonny asked, as Isabella wrapped her arms around his waist. 

"Love every single one of em," she nodded, as he kissed the top of her head. "I can't believe you went out and bought me an expensive bag, Sonny." 

He chuckled, "Hey, you fell in love with it that day we walked past that store," he started. "And kept eyein' at it online for weeks. I still think it's crazy that a bag could cost just as much as our weekly grocery shoppin', but you deserve to have somethin' nice." 

When she had unwrapped and opened the box, Isabella pulled out a giant gift bag, stuffed with pink and purple tissue paper. The girls and Theo laughed, as she dug through what must've been six packs of tissue paper, before finding her gift. The very expensive black Kate Spade tote bag with too many sections and pockets inside, caught Isabella's eye one morning, as she and Sonny trekked through Manhattan after their doctor's appointments. Dragging him inside the store, after much pouting and begging, Sonny watched as his wife walked around the shop; when it came to expensive bags and shoes, Isabella turned into a kid in a candy store. 

It pained him a bit, when he had to practically drag her out of the store, when she found the bag of her "dreams". 

_Iz, almost three hundred bucks? That's crazy for a bag! Besides, you have so many at home!_

For weeks afterwards, Isabella would return to the Kate Spade webpage and stare at the bag lovingly. Over coffee in the morning, when they had a rare night alone in the living room on her I-Pad, as well as when they were in bed. So when it came time to buy her Mother's Day gift, Sonny gave in and found himself back in the store. The sales girl had remembered him instantly, when he asked her about the bag. 

 _"Your wife looked like she was about to bolt and run with it,"_ she had teased, leading him to the back wall of the shop. " _Luckily we got more of these in stock last week!"_

Keeping the bag at work for two weeks, Sonny made sure to buy the tissue paper and gift bag, along with a big box to wrap it all in. After dinner, baths and bedtime stories, Sonny sent Isabella up to bed, while he rushed to pack and wrap the box up the night before. 

"I don't know how I'm going to top your gift for Father's Day," Isabella shook her head. "You get grumpy when I buy you something more that twenty bucks.." 

"That's because all I need for Father's Day, is happy children and a happy wife," Sonny shrugged. "My life is about making sure you and the kids have everythin' and anythin' you'd ever want or need. I love spoilin' you guys, even though sometimes the price tag is a lil' outrageous." 

Isabella nodded, "Now," Sonny continued. "I want you to go upstairs and take a shower. I'll deal with the kids, so take your time." 

She frowned, "Where are we going?" she asked, as he gave her waist a squeeze. "I thought we were seeing our parents tomorrow for Mother's Day brunch?" 

"We are," he nodded. "But the girls, Theo and I have another surprise for ya. So.. get ya butt movin' or they're gonna leave without ya." 

...................

"They're all out cold, snoring their heads off," Isabella whispered, as she and Sonny made their way downstairs. "I guess a trip to the park was your idea?" 

"Of course it was," Sonny chuckled, as they carried two glasses, a bottle of wine and a baby monitor out onto the deck. "How else was I gonna get ya alone tonight? Especially at a quarter to eight, which is usually spent with us yellin' and chasin' them all around the house?" 

Making sure there weren't any cats about, Isabella closed the glass door halfway, along with the screen door, before making her way over to the back steps. Sitting down, Sonny poured out two glasses of red wine, before setting the bottle down on the deck behind him. 

"It is nice to have a night to ourselves," Isabella admitted, after taking a small sip. "Even if they kids are just upstairs, tucked into their beds." 

It was a warm evening in May, proving that summer was just around the corner, as they approached Memorial Day Weekend; just two weekends away, which Isabella kept track of on a calendar in the kitchen. They were, however, very lucky that the mosquitos hadn't made their appearance yet. 

"I'll have to get those pictures developed, that way we can hang 'em up somewhere on the wall," Sonny mused, as they cuddled together on the back steps of their home. "And, I'm sure you're gonna put one on ya desk at work." 

"Of course I am," Isabella said, as he took a sip from his glass. "I need to show off my beautiful family and my amazing husband's photography skills. The ladies, and gentlemen, are  _very_ jealous, Sonny. A lawyer, sergeant, terrific cook and being an absolutely amazing husband and father? And, adding in the fact that you're sexy?" 

"Ah... I'm far from sexy," Sonny shook his head, as Isabella sat up to look at him. "My hair is so white now, I look like I'm a grandpa.." 

She scoffed, "You do not," she insisted, shaking her head. "And even if you did? So what?" 

Sonny shrugged, "We're both getting older, Sonny," Isabella sighed. "But luckily, we're getting older together. Fifteen years together and you still make my heart skip a beat, my knees week and my face hurt from smiling so much." 

"That sounds painful," Sonny teased. "You should get that checked out, Iz." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, as he laughed. "I've gotten to celebrate eleven Mother's Days because of you," she said. "I would've never been able to do that, if I didn't have you in my life." 

"I  _do_ make for a great baby daddy," Sonny nodded. 

"Sonny, I'm trying to be sentimental and sappy here," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. 

Laughing, Sonny wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side. "I'm sorry," he said, kissing her cheek. "And, I know. Without you, I wouldn't be a Dad. You are by far the strongest woman I know, Iz. You keep this family together and sane, on most days that is, while running an entire department and helping educate kids. All while makin' sure our five meatballs do their homework and can add and subtract, which ain't easy." 

She giggled, "You do a lot for us, doll," he nodded. " A real life Wonder Woman."

"I couldn't do this without you," Isabella said. "You made me a Mother and for that, I am... tremendously blessed." 

Sonny leaned in for a kiss, reaching up to brush her hair off her forehead. "I love ya, baby mama," he teased, making her snort. "Happy Mother's Day." 

"I love you too, baby daddy," Isabella sighed, before stealing another kiss from him. "How about we go inside and get in bed? We had a long day and tomorrow is another, since we're having our parents, your sisters, Liv and Amanda coming over for brunch." 

"Remind me again on why we thought that was a good idea?" he asked, as she collected her wine glass and the bottle. 

Patting his knee, Isabella stood up slowly, groaning as her knees cracked. "Because they offered to bring food," she reminded him. "And a family get together, in which I don't have to cook everything, is good in my book." 

Standing up as well, Sonny followed Isabella across the deck and into the house, closing and locking the sliding door behind them. Putting the bottle of wine away, Isabella dumped and rinsed out the glasses, before following Sonny upstairs. Checking in on the kids quickly, they both went through their nightly rituals before climbing into bed. 

"Ah, finally," Sonny sighed, once he was under the blankets; Isabelle quickly molding herself to his side, with her head upon his chest. "I wish we could stay in this bed all day tomorrow. You, Me and our crazy kids." 

"Hmmm, maybe next weekend," Isabella murmured, as she shifted against him. "Maman and Daddy are going to North Carolina for a wedding. And your parents are going to Florida for some golf thing, which means no in-laws. We don't have to make any plans to have big dinners, or leave Queens and deal with the hassle of traveling with five kids in one car." 

"Just how I like it," Sonny rumbled, before breaking out into a long, drawn out yawn. "Hmm, I love ya."

Isabella felt herself relax, as she closed her eyes, "I love you too," she said. "Thank you for today." 

And with that, another successful Mother's Day in the Carisi household, came to an end. 

 


	101. memorial day weekend

"When's Daddy coming home?" Carina asked, as Isabella put the finishing touches on the potato salad. "How are we gonna eats all the food, if he's not here?" 

Isabella sighed, "Daddy should be home soon," she said, as Noelle made her way back into the house from the patio. "Remember when we talked about this last weekend?" 

The five year old nodded, "Daddy had to work an overnight, just to get today off," Isabella continued, as Siena squealed from her high chair. "It just so happens, that he had to finish his homework, before coming home." 

Carina pouted, "I'm sure he's on his way home now," Noelle offered, as she set the package of hot dogs on the counter. "Maybe he's bringing home more marshmallows for your s'mores!" 

"We're having s'mores?" Carina gasped, as Isabella nodded. "Mommy, can I have three?" 

"We'll see," Isabella said, as Evelina screeched through the screen door, as Antonio prepped the grill for cooking. "IF you're gonna eat too much during dinner, than you're gonna have one." 

Getting a few more things done, Isabella sent Carina outside with her Grandmother, while she put together a bottle for Siena. "Daddy should be home soon," she sighed, as Siena drooled on her own fingers. "That way Mommy can sit down and have a drink." 

With her in-laws due to arrive sometime within the next hour or so, Isabella was ready to kick back and relax. With Sonny at work since the night before, it was almost noon and Sonny was still stuck at work. A "shit load of case notes" as he put it, when he called at six-thirty to let her know. 

_"Barba says my chicken scratch is gettin' worse," he sighed into the phone. "I'm just gonna type them out and hopefully I'll be home before nine, ten the latest."_

And with two wild and cranky children, along with a six month old, Isabella knew that the later it got, the worse they would get. Memorial Day Weekend was a big deal for Sonny, as well as Carina, since it meant time with the family and having dinner together. For their five year old, it meant food, s'mores and Daddy letting her stay up late to watch the illegal firework show down the block. 

Getting the bottle out of the warmer, Isabella tested the temperature, before making her way over to Siena. "Let's feed ya," she sighed, pulling the girl out of the high chair. "And call Daddy again. If he's not here within the next hour, he gets no hot dogs." 

 

....................

**3:30PM**

Evelina screeched as she sat in the kiddie pool, Joey spraying her down with the hose. "More! More!" she shouted, as Joey laughed. "More!!!" 

On the patio, under the veranda, Isabella held a sleepy Siena in her arms, as her in-laws and parents sat back and conversed. Carina on the other hand, sat in her seat with a pout, glancing between the patio door and the side gate of the house. With plenty of food leftover, the perishables moved back inside to the fridge, Carina was not a happy girl. Unable to hold off eating, Carina scowled throughout a late lunch, refused to get dressed for waterplay and opted to sulk the afternoon away. 

"Has Sonny called at all?" Angela asked, looking at her watch. "It's gettin' late and he was supposed to be off today." 

"Last I heard was around a quarter to one," Isabella shrugged. "You know how it is, guys. He could've been walking out the door and a case came in. It's normal and as much as Sonny would like to start his weekend off, he's got a hard time saying "no" to it all." 

Carina grumbled, "It's not fair!" she whined. "I want my Daddy! Zia Livvie needs to find someone else to catch the bad guys!" 

Dominick chuckled, "I know ya sad, sweetheart," he started, as Carina pouted. "But, your Dad is out there makin' the world a safer place for you and your sisters." 

"Daddy'll be home soon," Isabella said, as Siena yawned. "Everyone works and Daddy works really hard, baby. So, when he comes home, we'll have to make sure he relaxes and eats all the yummy food we made today." 

"Can I still have three s'mores?" she asked pitifully. 

Isabella laughed, as did everyone else. "We'll see," she nodded. "If you eat all the s'mores tonight, you wont have any for tomorrow and Monday!" 

"How about we get you in your swimsuit and you can play with Lina?" Noelle suggested. "Hm? It's so hot and you'd have a lot of fun in the pool." 

Carina thought about it for a moment, before turning to look at her Grandmother. "Can I wear my Minnie Mouse swimmie suit?" she asked. 

Noelle laughed, "Of course,  _mon amour,"_ she nodded, as Carina smiled for the first time in hours. "Come. Let's get you changed." 

"She's not one to let her Daddy go, huh?" Antonio asked, as Noelle and Carina disappeared into the house. "You'd think he went off undercover or somethin'."

"God, I hope that never happens," Isabella shook her head. "She's starting to notice that her friend's Dads' are all home by five, ready to have dinner with the entire family. Sonny tries to get home around five, five-thirty, but there are days where he's strolling in after ten at night. Last few nights it's been  _really_ late and he's still asleep when I get her up for school.." 

On the lawn, Evelina shrieked, as Joey hit her with a blast of cold water. "Sorry, Leen!" he laughed, as she yelled at him. "God, you're like ya Ma. Always screamin' and yellin'! Hey! Don't splash me! You're lucky ya Pops isn't home..." 

"GIOVANNI ANTONIO!" Antonio yelled, before the young man could finish. 

'He's lucky Sonny wasn't home to hear that,"Angela shook her head, while rolling her eyes. "He would've drowned that boy in the pool." 

Standing up slowly, Isabella shifted Siena in her arms. "Yeah, it the 2 inches?" she asked. "Sonny would be joining him, if he dared to ruin the weekend for Carina." 

.................

**5:15PM**

"Ya got grass and mud all over ya," Dominick said, as he hosed Carina and Evelina off. "What are we gonna do with you two?" 

With coffee brewing in the house, Siena was still asleep in the play pen in the living room, while Noelle and Angela set out cookies and everything for the s'mores. Joey and Antonio were in the middle of getting the fire pit ready, when the screen door opened. 

"I hope I'm not too late for dinner," A sheepish Sonny said, greeting his wife. 

"Sonny!" 

"DADDYYYYYY!!!!!!!" 

As quickly as he stepped outside, Carina and Evelina were barreling up the steps and across the patio, slamming into his legs. "Oof! he grunted, nearly falling through the screen. "Easy, easy!" 

"Daddy! Daddy!" they chanted, jumping up and down before him. "You home!" Evelina giggled. 

"YOU'RE LATE!" Carina shouted, as he squatted down to hug and kiss them both. "Where have you  _been?_ I've been waiting for you  _all day,_ Daddy!" 

He chuckled, "I'm sorry, my little meatballs," he said, tucking wet strands of hair behind their ears. "Daddy had a big emergency at work and lots of homework to fill out for Zio Rafi." 

She pouted, "Does that mean you has to work tomorrow?" she asked. 

"Nah," Sonny shook his head. "I've got the rest of the weekend off, to be with ya's and Mommy. I even stopped on the way home and got more junk food for us to eat, and extra fluffy marshmallows for our s'mores." 

"YAYYYY!!!!" Evelina shrieked, her arms shooting up in the air. 

Sonny laughed, "How about you two go on and use the potty?" he suggested. "And see if Grandma can get you two into dry clothes, before we start roastin' those marshmallows?" 

Giving them both a kiss, Sonny stood up and made his way over to Isabella, leaning down to kiss her. "I was worried that you'd be stuck there another night," Isabella greeted, as he leaned against her chair. "What happened?" 

"Got a case when I was gettin' ready to leave," he sighed, his perfectly coiffed hair now hanging loose. "Between runnin' around, interrogation and paperwork? It was a nightmare." 

"You poor baby," Isabella pouted, patting his hand lovingly. "Well, at least you're home now." 

He nodded. "How about you go and take a shower?" Isabella suggested, as she moved to stand up. "I'll put a plate together for you, so that you can eat. Hopefully the girls will be out by nine, that way you can get some sleep tonight." 

"I'm gonna need it," Sonny nodded, as he followed Isabella into the house. "Especially since we're takin' them to the beach tomorrow." 

.................

**9:30PM**

After s'mores and watching the fireworks, Sonny and Isabella bid their parents goodnight and managed to get three sun kissed and sleepy girls to bed. Refusing to go to bed, Sonny helped Isabella clean up the remainder of the garbage outside, along with dumping the pool out and putting the hose away. 

"As if I'm gonna let ya do this all yourself," Sonny scoffed, taking the garbage out for the night. 

Putting the remaining food away, Isabella put the dishes in the washer and checked her phone for messages; two texts from Noelle, letting her know that they were home and one from Angela stating the same. Turning the lights off downstairs, Isabella checked to make sure everything was locked, before heading upstairs for the night. 

"I think tomorrow, we should stop on the way to my parents and get some more water bottles," Isabella said, as she stepped into the bedroom. "I don't want to be paying a fortune for water at the beach..." 

Sprawled out across the bed, Sonny dozed with his head on a pillow; his legs hanging off the side of the bed and he mumbled in his sleep. Moving across the room, Isabella leaned across the mattress and lightly shook her husband's shoulder. 

"Hmmm," Sonny grunted. "Wha?" 

"You need to lay down the other way, silly," Isabella said softly, as Sonny whined. "C'mon. I'll tuck ya in." 

Grunting and groaning, Sonny moved to lay out on his side of the bed, while Isabella pulled the sheets up to cover him. "What's the matter?" she asked, as he whined. "You sound like your girls right now.." 

Sonny shoved his arm under the pillow, "My stomach is hurtin'," he pouted. 

"DId you take anything?" Isabella asked as he nodded. "Well, maybe you should've slowed your roll when it came to the s'mores. You alone had eight. After the fourth one, you pretty much signed up for a night of blowing out the bathroom." 

"That's not funny, Iz," Sonny grimaced, curling up on his side. "Keep laughin'. My ass is facin' ya face so it's gonna get hit with the gas tonight." 

Isabella flicked his ear, "Do it and you're never sleeping in her again," she warned, before heading to the bathroom. "Your little office downstairs can be your bedroom." 

 


	102. furniture shopping: living rooms

Sonny looked between the couch that costed more than his student loans, to his girlfriend, who looked at him expectantly; waiting for his input on what could be their new living room sofa. He sighed, running his palm down his cheek, to his neck, before shrugging. 

"I don't know, Iz..." he started, which made her groan. "That's alotta money for somethin' that'll eventually have the indents of our asses, stuck to the seats.." 

"You're  _hopeless,"_ Isabella shook her head, as she started over to the next set up of couches, armchairs and tables. "I don't know why you wanted to come, when all you've done is say "no" to every single thing I've showed interest in." 

He followed behind, albeit slowly, "Because both of us are payin' for this," he reminded her, as she huffed and puffed her way through living room sets. "I just don't understand why we need a sofa, that's more than our student loans and rent combined! It's stuff that we're gonna be sittin' on, and doin' a lot of other things on.." 

Isabella turned around quickly, glaring at him. "I just don't think we should be puttin' this much money into a sofa," Sonny finally said, holding his hands up in defense. "And nothin' leather, because I don't want to come home after a long day, and sit on somethin' that gets sticky." 

"And I don't want to come home and find a bright orange lump, sitting in the middle of my living room," Isabella retorted. "Just because you have your Mets memorabilia up, doesn't mean we're decorating the entire apartment to fit the theme." 

Slightly wounded, Sonny trailed along after his girlfriend, hoping that they would come to an agreement on something, before the day was over. It had been like this since they moved in, going through the process of unpacking and working with the layout of their new apartment. " _A lot of space, for a couple without kids,"_ as his Mother would say, whenever she asked how the unpacking was going. Most of the furniture they had now, was whatever came from Isabella's old apartment, which in return, came from her Nonna's old place. 

_"Hand-me-downs from my Nonna, before she moved in with my parents. Maman would die, before she let this stuff into the house.."_

"How about this one?" Isabella finally said, as they stood before a three-seat sofa. "It looks nice," she started, moving around the coffee table to sit down. "It's nice and comfy," she remarked, wiggling around to get a feel for the piece. 

Sonny nodded, flipping over the tag attached to the arm of the sofa. "It's on sale too," he remarked, before sitting down next to her; his body molding into the cushions. "S'not bad." 

"All we really need is one big sofa, a love seat and maybe an arm chair," Isabella offered. "I'm sure you could find a way to fix up the coffee table, since you're pretty handy with that stuff..." 

Trying to add up the math in his head, Sonny gave up after a few minutes and sighed in defeat. It was _Pottery Barn,_ after all. There was no way he was coming out of this, without spending more than he actually wanted. "Is this the set you want?" he asked, turning to look at her. "Because I don't wanna look at anymore sofas, lounge chairs, tables..." 

Isabella leaned across the sofa and kissed him into silence, before pulling away with a smile. "This is the set," she confirmed. "Now.. all we gotta do is find out what color we want. And how long it'll take to get it to our place..."

 

.........................................

"Don't ya think white would be better?" Isabella asked, as Sonny popped open another can of paint. "I mean.. it's clean. And crisp." 

Sonny snorted, as he poured out the grey mixture into the pan before him. "A constant trip to the loony-bin," he retorted, much to her disapproval. "White is so  _borin'_ , babe. This is a nice shade of grey, which will look nice with the navy and that... yellowy-mustard tone you picked out for ya accent pillows and shit.." 

"It's called  _Tuscan Sun,"_ she corrected him, eyeing the bags of couch pillows and a cream colored throw blanket. "I wanted purple, but you said purple was too  _"girly"_ and that I needed to pick a different color...." 

"Which I thought would be grey... or a different shade of blue," Sonny pointed out, as he picked up the paint roller. "Sorry if I've seen too much purple in my lifetime, Iz. We've got other parts of the house that could be decked out in lavender or violet. But for our livin' room? It needs to stand out, for when we have people over for parties and holidays. Purple would've made the place too cold and drab...."

"I'll remember that, the next time you pick out purple when it comes to what I wear in the bedroom," she remarked, which made him snicker.  

Leaving him to paint the entire living room on his own, Isabella went into the bedroom and put the television on, before moving to the basket of laundry. With the living room set partially paid off, opting to do a payment plan, they had a few days to paint and put up new curtains and pictures up, before hauling all the old furniture out. A sad concept for Isabella, the though of her Nonna's old furniture sitting outside the dumpster somewhere. But, her knight in shining armor, managed to find someone to take it off their hands for a few hundred bucks. 

" _Guy at work needs furniture for his Ma's new place,"_ Sonny said, as he unpacked a bag of Chinese take out. " _Has a truck and everythin'. Says he can pick it up Saturday mornin' and offered like.. five hundred bucks. Doesn't care how old and what it looks like- just as long as he can get somethin' into his Ma's new apartment..."_

Five hundred dollars and free pick up service? Isabella would be stupid to say no to that offered, considering five hundred dollars could go towards paying off a portion of their new living room set; if not all of it. It's no to say that money was tight, because it wasn't per say. They managed to get a big apartment, a nice apartment, for a decent price; much less than what they would've gotten, had they stayed in Manhattan. Sunnyside had it's parts, but the area they moved into was nice and welcoming; which was something Sonny asked about first, before how much the rent would be a month. They both had decent jobs under their belts, with two loving families that would, without a doubt, help them if need be. But, there were the dreaded student loans and bills, which most people their age had. 

 _"We can get by another few years or so with the bed we got,"_ Sonny said. " _I mean.. I barely slept in it, considering I slept in a bunk at work, or at your place."_

They had plenty of time to start worrying about children and buying child-friendly furniture, now that they'd taken the next step in their relationship. And Sonny was determined to be married, before the idea of shopping for cribs and childproofing the edges of coffee tables, became part of their finances. 

A few hours later, after hanging up Sonny's dress shirts and suit pants, Isabella made her way out of the bedroom. The entire living room reeked of paint, as Sonny opened all the windows and turned on the fan. But, it already looked much better than she had anticipated. 

"Hopefully the smell'll be out of here by tonight," Sonny said, as he started cleaning up the mess. "I don't want to leave the windows open overnight...." 

"I'll call for a pizza," Isabella said, as he started tossing the paint trays into a garbage bag. "We can eat on the deck..." 

Sonny nodded, giving her a tired smile. "I'll clear this all out and take a shower," he said. "After that... I could use a nap." 

Isabella snorted as she reached for the phone, "You should do more housework around here if that's the case," she said, searching for the local pizza joint they started to frequent. "I could get a lot more work done, if that were the case." 

 

.......................................

When it was all said and done, their living room looked like a piece of heaven. Lounging on their new sofa, which matched the love seat and arm chair, they looked around the newly complete and decked out room. 

"I am so glad we got this room done," Sonny sighed, draping his arm around her shoulders. "Between here and the dining room, we don't have to show anyone what the rest of the place looks like.." 

"You mean, the storage room that should be the guest room?" Isabella pointed out. "Those boxes have to come out sometime, Sonny. I don't want to open that door in a year and find boxes stacked up all over the place." 

The next two rooms on their list, contained said guest room and their own bedroom, much to Sonny's dismay. "At least give me a few weeks to settle in first," he bargained. "I'll let ya pick out all the colors for the bedroom, if ya just let me enjoy the new couch..." 

Rolling her eyes, Isabella watched as Sonny closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting his tired body sink into the couch cushions. Standing up slowly, Isabella pulled the throw blanket off the back and draped it across his body. 

"Where ya goin'?" Sonny asked, cracking one eye open. 

"Letting you nap," she said, as he pouted. "I have to clear out the plastic those guys left behind, after they unwrapped everything.." 

Sonny groaned, "Can't it wait?" he asked. "I'm not sleepin'"

Isabella giggled, shaking her head. "It's not going to take too long, Sonny," she pointed out. "And I have to lock the front door and move the hall table back into place, otherwise it'll sit in dining room for another week..." 

"Don't go orderin' any furniture," he warned, as she made her way around their new sofa. "We don't need anymore, Iz." 

Collecting the plastic wrap, along with a few pieces of cardboard, Isabella made her way into the kitchen and tossed them into the trash bin. Making her way into the dining room, she started the process of moving the little hall table back near the front door, before picking up the pile of mail that needed to be sorted through. On her trip to the bedroom, she stopped to check on Sonny, who was out cold and snoring; one arm behind his head, while the other rested across his chest; his hand gripping the blanket that covered him. 

Shaking her head with a smile, Isabella quietly tip-toed down the hall to their bedroom, flipping through the stacks of bills, catalogs and coupon books. Her eyes landed on the newest  _Ikea_ book, making her squeal in delight, before settling under the quilt on their bed. While she didn't have any plans to order any furniture, Sonny didn't say that she  _couldn't_ look. And looking never did anyone any harm, as she eyed the dressers and closet organizers; ones that would look oh-so-lovely in the master bedroom. 

Isabella could only pray that Sonny's nap would re-energize him, she thought, as she started folding down the corners of the pages. It was so clear, that they had so much more work to do. 


	103. tooth fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ages of the kids might be off a bit- my laptop crashed and my timeline for the kids birthdays/ages of course was on that. i'm gonna have to recheck what i've written so far to remake the timeline :(

The blood curdling scream was the first thing Sonny heard, as he nearly dropped the pot of sauce onto the floor. Then came the howl of "DDDDDDAAAAADDDDYYYYYY!" from upstairs, that made him slam the pot down on the counter, before rushing up the stairs; taking two at a time, as the panic set in. 

Shoving Carina and Evelina's door open, Sonny skidded to a halt, taking in the scene before him- Carina, blood dribbling down her chin, along with tears, while Evelina stood next to her with a frown on her face. 

"What happened?" where the first words out of Sonny's mouth, as he moved forward, getting down on his knees before the girl. "Did you fall down?" 

"M-m-y tooth!" Carina sobbed, holding her hand out towards him. Sonny looked down and saw the tiny small tooth, resting in the palm of her hand and streaked with a little bit of blood. "It falled out!" 

Taking her little face into his hands, Sonny used his thumbs to pull down her bottom lip and low and behold! There was a empty space, smack dab in the middle of her bottom jaw. "Oh, thank god," Sonny sighed, dropping his head down. "I thought it'd be worse.." 

Carina, who was only six and a half, gasped in outrage. "WORSE?!" she screeched, as Evelina giggled. "Daddy, my tooth falled out! I'm beedin!" 

"This is a good thing, topolina," Sonny insisted, standing on his feet now. "Let's go wash up and I'll tell ya about the tooth fairy." 

With his hand on the top of her head, Sonny guided her out of the bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom, with Evelina toddling behind. "When Mommy comes home from the store, we'll show her ya tooth..." 

Setting her down on the bathroom counter, Sonny reached for the container of baby wipes and set them down. "Will all my teeth fall out now?" Carina pouted, as he turned the water on. "How will I ever eat again, if all my teeth are gone, Daddy? I don't wanna eat baby food for the rest of my life!" 

"You won't," Sonny promised, as he wiped her chin. "Baby teeth fall out, so ya big girl teeth can come in. Same thing happened to me and Mommy, when we were your age. Many, many, many moons ago..." 

"I don't like it," Carina huffed, folding her little arms across her chest. "I don't wanna have big girl teeth!"

Dropping the soiled wipe into the garbage pail, Sonny sighed as he looked at his eldest. "Kid, I feel ya pain," he nodded. "I don't want ya's to grow up so fast, but we don't always get what we want. Besides, we pop that tooth right under ya pillow, and the Tooth Fairy'll come and leave a dolla for ya." 

Carina gasped, "A whole dollar?" she asked, as Sonny nodded. "Can I have  _two_ dollars? That way I can buy cookies at school?" 

"Ya know, the Tooth Fairy doesn't like it when kids are demandin'," Sonny warned, as he filled up a paper cup with water. "If she happened to hear ya, she'd leave a penny behind. And pennies don't do anythin', but sit in ya piggy bank...." 

  
..............................................

"Her first tooth," Isabella cooed, looking at the evidence in the little ziploc bag. "I can't believe she lost her first tooth, Sonny!" 

Sonny chuckled as she pouted and carried on, "She wasn't too thrilled about it herself, honey," he said, dumping the spaghetti into the strainer. "Until I mentioned the Tooth Fairy and money..." 

"Just like her Mother that one," Isabella pouted, which made him snort.  "They're growing up too fast, baby. Siena said her first word the other day, Evelina's learning how to ride a tricycle...."

Wiping his hands on a dishtowel, Sonny made his way over to Isabella, wrapping his arms around her. "I know," he nodded. "It's scary. They were babies at one point, coming home from the hospital and now they're gettin' bigger and losing teeth." 

Isabella sighed, "I'll try not to cry at the dinner table," she offered, as they looked down at the tooth in her hand. "But, I will cry later, after they're all in bed and we slip a dollar under her pillow...."

"I wouldn't expect anythin' less," Sonny said, as he kissed her forehead. "And... we might have to put more than a dollar under her pillow, Iz. She was askin' for two... just so she could buy cookies at school.."

"Two _whole_ dollars?" Isabella frowned. "And why is she buying food at school? We go grocery shopping every weekend and buy snacks.... If she wants fresh, home baked cookies, I'll make them for her to have at home..."

Sonny shrugged, as he found a serving bowl for the spaghetti. "As much as they need to learn about savin' their money," he started, dumping the noodles into the bowl. "I am not ready for that talk yet. Let me wrap my head around the fact that she's losin' her teeth and askin' for money, first. Then we can always sit her down and talk about chores and allowances.." 

Finishing the final touches for dinner, Sonny and Isabella called the girls to the table; while Isabella took Siena out of the playpen. "Wash those hands," Sonny said, as they rushed into the downstairs bathroom. "Otherwise, I'm eatin' all the cheese!" 

"NOOOO!!!" 

"Works every time," Sonny chuckled, as he took Siena from his wife. "Hi, my lil' meatball. Are you ready for dinner?" 

Siena squealed, kicking about, as Sonny pressed a litter of kisses on her chubby cheeks. "Daddy made bow ties for ya," he started, setting her into the highchair. "Let's try a few of those, before we graduate to spaghetti...." 

With little hands washed and sitting at the table, the family of five dug in for a nice home cooked meal. Passing bowls and helping the girls serve themselves, they talked about their day home with Daddy. 

"I sprinkled the leaves on the bread," Evelina said, sauce smeared across her mouth. "And! I stirred the noodles, but Daddy had to helps. Because I'm little." 

"I tasted the sauce first!" Carina said, as Evelina reached for her cup of water. "And... Daddy helpeded me write a letter for the Tooth lady..." 

Isabella nodded, "That's very good!" she said, as Sonny snickered. "We always write a letter to the Tooth Fairy, so we can thank her for leaving us a surprise. And for taking care of our baby teeth, as they take the journey too her homeland.." 

Carina frowned, "What does she do with our teeth, Mommy?" 

"Yeah, Mommy. What does she do with the baby teeth?" Sonny asked, almost innocently, despite snickering even more. "Does she make a necklace or somethin'..." 

"No, she doesn't," Isabella scowled at him, before turning to smile at Carina. "She takes them to her land, so she can clean them and put them in a memory box for you. That way, a long time from now, when she's an old tooth fairy... she can watch every memory a tooth holds." 

The little girl nodded slowly. "Like a movie?" she asked, as Isabella buttered her bread. "Of me? When I was a little girl?" 

Isabella nodded, "Exactly," she smiled, setting the butter knife down. "She can relive every memory of you losing a tooth. And remember the sweet little girl, from Sunnyside Queens, who left her a tooth to collect." 

"Kinda weird, Iz," Sonny said quietly, as Evelina giggled. 

"Daddy's Tooth Fairy didn't leave him nice presents," Isabella sighed, shaking her head. "I think he's jealous, because you're probably gonna get more money than he did." 

Carina giggled, "I hope she leaves me two dollars, Mommy!" she said, nodding. 

Siena babbled, smacking her tomato sauce covered hands on her tray. "Will she look like Tinky-belle?" Evelina asked, as Sonny went to clean up Siena's hands with a napkin. 

"Maybe," Sonny shrugged, as Siena squealed. "Maybe she'll sprinkle some of her pixie dust on Mommy before she leaves." 

"But why?" Evelina asked, as Carina nodded in agreement. "Mommy lost a tooth?" 

Her elder sister shook her head, "Mommy's got no baby teeths!" she exclaimed. "She's a  _teenager!"_

At that Sonny laughed out loud, throwing his head back; which Siena mimicked, much to Isabella's surprise and Sonny's amusement. "Mommy has all her adult teeth," Isabella said, shooting Sonny a look of annoyance. "Daddy just thinks he's funny." 

"Daddy is funny," Evelina said, as Carina giggled. 

"Not all the time," Isabella muttered, before nodding to their plates. "Finish your dinner, girls. We still have baths to give and maybe an ice pop before your nighttime story." 

......................................................

 

The next morning, Isabella and Sonny woke up to Carina's shouting and body slamming into their bed. 

"Jesus Christ.." Sonny groaned, shoving his head under his pillow. "Shoulda locked the damn door." 

Carina squealed, as she shook her parents awake. "LOOK! LOOK!" she shouted, as Isabella rolled over to look at the girl. "LOOK WHAT WAS UNDER MY PILLOW!" 

Sitting up, Isabella wiped at her eyes, before looking at the beaming smile of her almost seven year old. "What did you find, sweetheart?" she asked, despite knowing the answer herself. "What did the Tooth Fairy leave you?" 

"MONEY!" Carina shouted, as Sonny continued to groan under the safety of his pillow. "Is it two dollars, Mommy?" 

"I don't know," Isabella shrugged, waving her daughter closer to her. "Let's see what it says!" 

Handing over to money, Isabella read the little post-it note that was taped to the back. "Spend this wisely, Carina Rose," she read, almost dramatically. "Thank you for keeping your first tooth safe, for I have a long journey back to my home. Losing your first tooth is a big accomplishment, and you've handled it bravely..." 

Sonny snorted from under his pillow, as she continued to read the little note that she had penned the night before. "I hope to see you again soon, Carina. Until then, keep those teeth in perfect shape. Love, The Tooth Fairy." 

"She's so nice, Mommy!" Carina sighed, clutching her hands together under her chin. "How much did she leave me?" 

"Wow, Carina," Isabella whistled dramatically, waiting for Sonny to show some interest in what was going on. "She left you  _twenty dollars!"_

The pillow flew off the bed, as Sonny lifted his head up quickly. "What?!" he cried, as Carina cheered. "Twenty bucks? For one tooth!?"

Standing up, wobbling on her feet, Carina began to jump up and down. "I'm rich! I'm rich!" she shouted, as Isabella laughed. "Daddy! I'm rich! Richer than you!!" 

Sonny glared at Isabella, "I thought we agreed on two bucks," he whispered, as Carina celebrated. "Twenty, Iz? She's six! She doesn't need twenty bucks in her pocket!" 

"It was all I had in my wallet," she whispered back. "And forget your wallet... the last time I took something out of there, you had a meltdown. Why, I don't know, since you take cash out of mine all the time." 

"It was money for coffee," he muttered, as Carina waved her new fortune around, while jumping. "And I always  _ask_ before goin' into your wallet, Iz. 

Carina giggled, "Daddy, I gots twenty dollars!" she said, as Sonny sighed. "I'm a rich girl, Daddy!" 

Sonny grimaced, "Yeah, I hear ya," he said, laying back down again. "Don't think for a second, that you're spending that all on cookies though!" 

 

 


End file.
